Urban Development Leveling of the Cities in Bushehr Province Using Numerical Taxonomy Model

Assessing the level of development of communities has been a concern for regional planners in all countries. The use of quantitative criteria for the classification of settlements leads to understanding the level of inequality between residential areas and provides a measure to reduce and eliminate these inequalities. To address regional imbalances, regions need to be identified and classified based on their level of development in different areas. The aim of this research is to identify disadvantaged areas and plan for reducing intra-regional disparities to achieve balanced development. In this study, 12 indices have been selected within the framework of numerical taxonomy analysis to assess the level of development and classify the counties of Bushehr Province. The research method used in this study is descriptive-analytical. Based on this classification, Bushehr with a development coefficient of 0.01382 is the most developed city, while Jam with a coefficient of 0.724444 is identified as the most disadvantaged city in the province. The results of this research indicate a center-periphery pattern dominating the spatial structure of Bushehr Province.