The affective factors on the urban growth for the port cities (analytical study of the growth of the Um Qasr city))

Abstract

In this paper, the relationship between urban growth, land use, site availability, and impacts on the general appearance of the city generated by functional characteristics of port cities were analyzed. Various data were used to identify patterns of land use change and city growth and expansion. The research aims to analyze the impact of the port on the growth of the city, study the urban growth of the city of Umm Qasr and predicting the growth trends, and to identify the most influential factors in this growth. The study dealt with the concepts of urban growth and the factors that characterize the growth of port cities and the current situation of the city. The practical part included the mechanisms used by the researcher to analyze the relationship of urban growth and the effect of the port in that growth, considering that the port is the functional identity of the city.  The researcher followed descriptive analytical method depending on the spatial analysis of land uses using geographic information systems and IDRISI software during periods of time that were identified and compared with the changes between these periods and questionnaire forms according to the axes that were determined through the theoretical side, The aim of the questionnaire forms was to determine the impact of the port on the city through these axes. In order to obtain a clear and comprehensive vision, two types of questionnaire forms were used: the first is the random one for the residents of the city and the second is intended for experts, officials and specialists in the field of ports. The objective of the separation is to obtain better and comprehensive results. The researcher concluded the most important conclusions (that the relationship between the port and the city experienced a clear fluctuation and this was observed in previous years, but the period between 2012-2018 has seen a rapid development and this is due to the relative increase in trade) This shows the strength of the relationship between urban growth Of the city and the activity of the port. The most important recommendations are (integrating the port function with the city function under a sustainable development framework may help balance the relationship between the city and its port).