Ranking of Rural Area Based on Livability Indices (Case Study: Nezamabad Rural District, Iran)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Geography, Faculty of Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran

2 PhD Candidate in Geography and Rural Planning, Faculty of Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Introduction
The rural settlements throughout the world are faced with many problems such as unemployment, migration, poverty and environmental degradation. Because of existing deficiencies in services and facilities, this situation decreased the general inhabitability of rural settlements especially in developing countries. Therefore, understanding the needs of rural people and making these spaces livable could improve the quality of life in rural area to provide the appropriate condition for achieving sustainable development goals. Getting to this purpose involves promotion of the livability level and inhabitability of rural environments as a main place of rural living and employment. Because nowadays, in most cases rural environments haven’t enough standards of living due to many reasons such as faults in private living facilities. These could, consequently, increase spatial un-sustainability for inhabitants. This condition observed in rural areas is farther from urban environments. In order to make a planning for the rural areas, we need livable and inhabitable spaces as a living and employing place. It is needed to identify the effective indicators and also make a ranking of the rural points based on these indicators for recognizing the spatial livability differences among them. 
The purpose of this paper is to study the concept of rural livability in academic literature and codify the rural livability indicators by sustainability dimensions using multiple criteria attention. We are to make a ranking of the rural points using multi-criteria decision making techniques in Nezam abad Dehestan, Azadshahr Township, Iran. This research attempts to address rural point livability based on the determined criteria by VICORE technique.
Methodology
This is an applied study by analysis – explanatory methodology. The main goal is to make a ranking of the rural points based on livability criteria. For gathering the needed information, we have used documentary and field study observations through questionnaire. For the rural points, finally, 4 dimensions and 16 criteria have been selected as a livability indicator mentioned in theatrical literature. Validity and reliability of the indicators have been tested for the 34 questionnaires through Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.62 to 0.81. The statistical community of this study contains 17 villages selected from 22 recorded rural points in 2011. The sample size determined by Cochran formula is 94 households among 3874 households. To analyze the data, we have used statistical tests compare mean T-test, MCDM techniques, and VICORE.
Results and discussion
The results of T-Test statistical examination of respondent attitude show that 8 criteria of livability indicators were meaningful in the study area. This has indicated that there are meaningful differences among the means of livability indicators in rural points of the study area. Thus, the obtained significant differences of the results in the alpha level of 0.05 have documented that from 16 indicators to measure viability; only 8 criteria have been meaningful at alpha less than 0.05 and accepted as a livable area. The ranking of the rural points based on MCDM techniques confirmed that Ghurchay and Hajinabi is in lowest level of livability.
Conclusion
The results of data analysis have also been confirmed by real observations through field study. Therefore, it is possible that these criteria can be introduced as a proved pattern for other rural areas to measure the level of livability. These criteria could be helpful for rural development planners to revise policies and plans for improving the rural spaces. The planners and managers must focus on promotion of the livability criteria in rural points to improve the rural spaces for inhabitants. Therefore, the managers should allocate the development credits and loans to focus on improvement of the rural livability especially in less livable villages.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Human Geography Research
Volume 51, Issue 1
April 2019
Pages 129-144

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History

  • Receive Date: 09 March 2017
  • Revise Date: 01 August 2017
  • Accept Date: 01 August 2017

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