Urbanization and Urban Sprawl Issues in City Structure: A Case of the Sulaymaniah Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Sivan Hisham Al Jarah, Bo Zhou, Rebaz Jalil Abdullah, Yawen Lu and Wenting Yu
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Sivan Hisham Al Jarah: School of Architecture and Fine Art, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Bo Zhou: School of Architecture and Fine Art, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Rebaz Jalil Abdullah: School of Architecture and Fine Art, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Yawen Lu: School of Architecture and Fine Art, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Wenting Yu: School of Architecture and Fine Art, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 2, 1-21

Abstract: This novel study explores the driving forces and dynamics of rapid urbanization, highlighting the main causes and effects of urban explosion, environmental disruption, and city pattern transformation. This study was carried out that how urbanization and urban sprawl have influenced the structure of the city of Sulaymaniah in Kurdistan region of Iraq. This is because over the years many urban areas have experienced dramatic growth and population explosion that has resulted in the exhaustion of social amenities in the concerned communities. For this purpose, a qualitative method is used based on in-depth face-to-face interviews with local authority, including planners, architects, and experts of master planning, as well as professors in the academic institutions. This study also utilizes extensive document analysis to present the evolution of urban growth. The findings reveal that the autonomy, political conflict, non-implementation of master plans, and economic prosperity are the driving forces which are accelerating this urbanization process. It is proposed that the practical policies and strategic urban development plans are urgent requirement to control the unplanned urban growth and stimulate the desired sustainable future urban development.

Keywords: driving forces; urbanization; population explosion; environmental disruption; structure of the city (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (16)

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