The survey of affecting factors on the functional changes of metropolitans hinter land rural settlements (Case Study:Biragh villages, Heravi, Haj Abdal and dyzj Lily Khani Located in East Azerbaijan Lyqvan Valley)

Spatial interactions and functional relationships between cities and surrounding areas such as rural areas located in their influence zones gradually lead to a variety of changes in their different aspects. Demographical changes (migration of rural-urban, population evacuation etc.) and changes in economic and functional structure (weakening of the base and foundation of agricultural activities and expansion of non-productive activities etc.) are not exceptions. In this regard, among the important changes of this kind which are influenced by the cities and mainly observed in the rural areas of Iran in recent years are the functional changes in the rural areas of the metropolitan zones of Tabriz including Lyghvan Valley with its villages which are of great importance due to their ecological features in complementing Tabriz Metropolitan. Therefore, such villages being influenced by the metropolitan, experience changes in their functional structure. Most probably, the existence of various problems and setbacks in Tabriz metropolitan such as higher price of land and housing, acute air pollution and other factors have been unappealing cases as opposed to the lower price of land and housing, cleanness of air and tourist attraction and so on in the rural settlements which are very attractive. In the present paper, four villages have been selected among the rural settlement zone of Tabriz metropolitan to clarify how functional changes and the factors influencing them work. The main goal of the study is to obtain a thorough and scientific understanding of the affecting factors on the functional changes of these villages. The present study, not only gives important data about the way the changes occur, but also helps the planners strive for the organization and functional planning of such villages using the given data. The method of study is based on field study (direct observation, filling out various questionnaires). To study and express the relationships between the different variables of the study, a descriptive-analytical method and to review the previous works and changes and developments, documentary methods have been used. Meanwhile, in order to analyze the data, SPSS Software and chi-square and F-statistics have been used. Finally, strategies and recommendations have been presented for better functional organization of the villages under study in specific, and of all such villages in general. The findings show that there is a logical relationship between being host for immigration of the villages under study, the kind of their economic activities, the place of the occupation of the breadwinners of the households, and their functional changes. The proximity of the studied villages to the largest demographic, industrial and service center of the north-west (Tabriz) and also Basmenj and the fast and easy access of these villages to these cities, the immigration of people to these villages because of the lower price of land and housing, work and occupation, changes in the kind of economic activities and the place of occupation of the heads of the households under study, all have led to a functional change of villages from an agricultural one to service, industrial, housing-dormitory ones.