Driving Factors of Urban Growth: A Systematic Review*

Kiana Etemadi, Hashem Dadashpoor and Josef Novotný

Growth and Change, 2025, vol. 56, issue 4

Abstract: Urban growth is a dynamic phenomenon influenced and shaped by a multitude of diverse, interconnected factors. Although identifying the most significant driving factors is a prerequisite for forecasting future urban growth, the selection of factors in numerous current studies is subjective. This study conducted a systematic review of the existing literature within the field, utilizing a qualitative content analysis to identify the factors influencing urban growth along with their pertinent indicators. Then, the potential connections among the factors derived from the articles were analyzed using CytoScape. Ultimately, the 51 identified factors were categorized into nine categories, including: accessibility, demographic, economic, environmental, institutional and planning, physical, proximity, social, and topographic factors. This study's primary contribution is a comprehensive, evidence‐based typology of urban growth drivers, which can serve as an authoritative reference for researchers and planners.

Date: 2025
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