Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

An Analysis of the Urban Development Process in Six Major Cities in Afghanistan from 1978-2018

Version 1 : Received: 8 August 2021 / Approved: 9 August 2021 / Online: 9 August 2021 (10:00:02 CEST)

How to cite: Hanif, A.; Pouya, J.A.; Ahmadi, S.; Loodin, N. An Analysis of the Urban Development Process in Six Major Cities in Afghanistan from 1978-2018. Preprints 2021, 2021080187. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202108.0187.v1 Hanif, A.; Pouya, J.A.; Ahmadi, S.; Loodin, N. An Analysis of the Urban Development Process in Six Major Cities in Afghanistan from 1978-2018. Preprints 2021, 2021080187. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202108.0187.v1

Abstract

The rapid increase in population along with the economic activities led to rapid depletion of natural resources. Land use studies help us analyze the impacts of urban development on environment. Given the political upheavals in Afghanistan, this study aims to analyze how urban development evolved from 1978 to 2018 in six major cities- Kabul, Kandahar, Kunduz, Herat, Mazar-e Sharif and Jalalabad- in Afghanistan using Landsat Satellite Images. This study is based on quantitative approach. ArcGIS 9.4 software was used to synchronize the Landsat Satellite Images within the area of study. The results of the study show that the Annual rate of urban land expansion in Afghanistan was the lowest (average 1.07 square kilometers per year) during the military presence of Soviet Union in Afghanistan while it was the highest (3.35 square kilometers per year) from 2001 to 2018 due to the military presence of US-led NATO forces, relative security and rapid economic activities in Afghanistan. The authors believe that this study could be further explored if other inter-connected factors, e.g., the role of culture, literacy, immigration etc., are incorporated into the study of urban development processes in Afghanistan.

Keywords

urban development; land use/ land cover; Soviet Union; major cities; Afghanistan

Subject

Social Sciences, Urban Studies and Planning

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