Classification of Development Degree of Sub-districts in Golestan Province of Iran

According to a number of recent studies, Golestan is known as an underdeveloped province of Iran, which might be associated with inequality in its urban-rural development and its 49% rural population. Therefore, determining the development level of rural sub-districts in the province is essential for planning and development efforts. Thus, it was mainly aimed by this study, using TOPSIS technique for processing, analyzing and classifying the degree of development in the studied sub-districts, based on 41 indicators and 5 main components including education, health, communications, services, and employment. In addition, the ANP model was used for weighting criteria, and Arc GIS 10.3 software was used for data analysis and drawing maps. As shown by the results, about 50 percent of the studied sub-districts were found deprived and there was also a big difference between their development levels. Finally, based on the study results, some recommendations were presented for poverty eradication of the province.