Geography

Geography

Spatial Transformation of Peri-Urban Rural Settlements Case: Shahriar District

Document Type : Article extracted From phd dissertation

Authors
Somayeh Azizi 1
Farhad Azizpour 2
Vahid Riahi 3
1 PhD in Geography and Rural Planning, Human Geography Group, Faculty of Geography, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Associate Professor of Geography and Rural Planning, Human Geography Group, Faculty of Geography, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
3 Associate Professor of Geography and Rural Planning, Human Geography Group, Faculty of Geography, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/jiga.2026.2085018.1482
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Introduction
The unique characteristics of human groups and the specific features of their environment create a dynamic system based on interaction. The components of this spatial-territorial system, whether intentionally or not, dynamically interact and are influenced in various ways by internal forces and processes (which are inherent to the space under study and correspond to the region's own characteristics) and external ones (which originate from other spatial-territorial realities).
In recent decades, the rural settlements of the Shahriar District, due to their proximity to Tehran, face specific opportunities and challenges. This region features an unbalanced dispersion, a concentration of economic activities in a few poles, and a distinct pattern of population settlement that is less common in other rural areas of the country. Shahriar is the twelfth most populous region in Iran and one of the seven most populous regions in Tehran Province. The population of this region has increased significantly over the years; from approximately 365,000 in 1986, to about 530,000 in 1996, reaching over 1.1 million in 2006. Based on censuses from 2011 to 2016, the population grew at an average rate of 1.84%, and the average household size increased to 3.3 persons. Migration to this region is also considerable, with about 57,615 people migrating there in 2011 and approximately 74,900 in 2016. The migration rate over this five-year period was 5.39%.
Employment opportunities in the industrial and service sectors have provided an income source for residents of the region's villages. Many villages have shirked their productive and generative nature, turning into venues for land speculation and the concentration of spurious urban activities. Such settlements have not only forgotten their rural identity but have also failed to function beneficially as urban areas. Most of the problems and challenges surrounding this type of rural settlement near metropolises stem from a lack of sufficient knowledge, understanding, and insight into their growth and changes, coupled with the absence of appropriate management mechanisms and policies. Furthermore, insufficient scientific research and the inevitable haste in some planning and development schemes in recent years have exacerbated these trends.
Consequently, such fundamental issues have led to inappropriate and non-targeted management and decision-making by officials, as well as the unchecked and uncontrolled expansion of these settlements. Undoubtedly, such challenges within our country's rural system are a phenomenon worthy of contemplation, discussion, and investigation. Against this backdrop, the present study seeks to answer the following key question:
What transformations have the rural settlements of Shahriar District undergone during the period 2011-2021?
Material and Methods
The statistical population included all rural settlements in the Shahriar District of Tehran Province (33 villages), and a complete enumeration was conducted. To understand the type of transformation in the rural settlements of Shahriar District, a descriptive method using secondary data was employed. This involved extracting information from books, articles, theses, dissertations, utilizing maps and satellite imagery, remote sensing data, and official information and statistics from organizations and institutions (such as data from the Iranian Statistical Center, the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad, the Shahriar Regional Health Network, etc.) over a 10-year period (2011-2021). These sources served as key tools for data collection in this section, and the data were analyzed using the WASPAS (Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment) multi-criteria decision-making method within the Microsoft Excel software environment.
Results and Discussion
1) Environmental-Ecological Transformation
Water Consumption: Per capita water consumption in the villages of the region showed an increasing trend, rising from approximately 0.94 cubic meters per person in 2011 to about 1.12 cubic meters per person in 2021. This consumption has a direct relationship with population size and is higher in more populous villages (over 2000 inhabitants).
2) Socio-Cultural Transformation



Population: The population of the region's villages followed an upward trend between 2011 and 2021, with all 33 villages experiencing positive population growth. The average population growth rate during this decade was +2.42%. The spatial distribution of the population is unbalanced, with higher density in the central, northern, and eastern parts of the region.
Migration: Net migration in the rural areas of the region was positive during the 2011-2021 period (average: +33.30). Migration into the villages increased significantly, rising from 20.72% in 2011 to 103.83% in 2021. The region acts as a demographic spillover for the Tehran metropolis and is a net recipient of migrants.
3) Economic Transformation
Employment Structure: During the ten-year period leading up to 2021, the share of employment in economic sectors was as follows: Industry (50%), Services (37%), and Agriculture (13%). Most villages exhibit economic dependence on industrial and then service activities. For example, the village of Qaleh-ye Now has the highest share of agricultural employment at 55%, while Raziabad-e Bala has the lowest at 3%.
4) Physical-Spatial Transformation
Land Use Changes: Between 2011 and 2021, human-made land uses (with 16% growth) and orchards (with 16% growth) expanded, while agricultural land use (with a 27% decrease) and "other" uses (primarily barren land, with a 5% decrease) declined significantly. These changes were more pronounced in the northern and central parts of the District.
The ranking of villages based on the intensity of transformation indicates that 14 villages in the District have experienced a higher degree of spatial transformation.
Conclusion
In the Shahriar District, transformations are taking shape that are gradually altering the face of this area. Rural settlements, due to increased per capita water consumption and rapid population growth, have become densely populated and crowded places. This population increase has led to high density of both population and settlements. The region's high rate of in-migration also influences this trend. The slowdown in Tehran's population growth is not due to a decrease in its demographic attractiveness, but rather the accumulation of population in Tehran and the emergence of problems related to land purchase, housing, and other obstacles, which have diverted population overflow to the surrounding areas of Tehran. Consequently, migrants from other regions have been compelled to shift their approach from settling in Tehran to establishing themselves in population centers around the capital, including the Shahriar District.
Furthermore, the establishment and significant development of infrastructural services in the transportation and communication sectors of Tehran and its surrounding counties, such as Shahriar, along with its geographical location and proximity to Tehran, have played a major role in the region's receptiveness to migration.
Amidst this, the decrease in the labor force employed in agriculture and the increase in those employed in the industrial and service sectors indicate profound changes in the region's economic structure. Rural areas, which were once cradles of agriculture, are gradually converting their agricultural land uses to industrial, commercial, and residential areas, completely transforming the region's landscape. Intense competition is underway between green and non-green land uses. The trend of land-use change indicates a continuous decline in green land uses in favor of competing uses.
The limitation and continuous reduction of green land uses in the Shahriar District, although primarily influenced by destructive human activities, also face two major constraints in the region: limited water resources and the pressure from population density leading to the growth of built-up areas and land-use changes. In other words, green land uses are under pressure from all sides, both externally and internally. Areas considered the most suitable in terms of water and soil for agriculture and horticulture have become arenas for construction and land speculation, and the few remaining agricultural and horticultural lands face serious and increasing threats.
Keywords
Transformation
Rural Settlements
Peri-urban
Shahriar District
Subjects
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Geography
Volume 24, Issue 89
Summer 2026
Pages 1-23