Measuring the Spatial Distribution of Cities in West Azarbaijan Province

The aim of this paper is to analyze the hierarchical network of urban areas of West Azarbaijan for examining the rate of balance in variance and spatial distribution of population of urban areas in the province of West Azarbaijan. The methodology in use is a pragmatic-developing one. The quantitative models, such as bulk modulus, urban centralization index, anthropy model and gini coefficient index, are used in order to analyze the urban hierarchy of West Azarbaijan. Findings of this study shows that Urban centralization index in all the studied periods was higher that one. Population bulk modulus of all cities of the province in the years of 1956, 1966 and 1976 had augmented but in the years of 1986, 1996 and 2006 has reduced. Anthropy index in all the studied periods was less than one, which shows the unbalance in population in urban areas of the province. Calculation of spatial coefficient LQ shows that small cities of the province are exporter of services and their basic economy is based of services sector. The communicative network of the province, specially the roads, is in a condition that economically targets the capital of the province and like a radius ends to Urumieh. The final conclusion of this research is that the unbalance in variance and the spatial distribution of population in urban areas of the province is the characteristic of network of urban hierarchy of the province of West Azarbaijan; in a manner that transactions between the cities of the province are also affected by the political-administrative structure of the country as well.