Spatial Analysis of Social-Economic Inequality in Urban Regions (Case study: Tabriz Metropolis)

 One of the most important inequalities is spatial inequality which indicates a situation in spatial units and geographical areas in terms of having development indicators at different levels. The crises in human societies are often rooted in social and economic inequalities. Paying attention to spatial inequality and identifying the factors affecting its creation as one of the bases of regional planning to create balance in the regions and reduce inequality between them has been a priority in the policies of many countries. The metropolis of Tabriz, like most major cities in the country, is the bedrock of spatial inequalities in the dimensions of social and economic indicators, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the present study to identify the factors affecting these spatial inequalities, using social and economic indicators in the metropolis of Tabriz for 1996, 2006, and 2016. 

 The research method is descriptive-analytical-comparative in terms of data collection method and applied in terms of purpose. The study has done in the form of a documentary and survey methods. The source of citation of the indicators and quantities used is data and information of statistical blocks in official census reports of Tabriz metropolis in 1375, 1385, and 1395; and GIS maps are collected from the Statistics Center of Iran. Samples of research are all statistical blocks for the mentioned years. After theoretical studies, 26 social and economic indicators have been prepared Spatial Statistics Tools, and Hotspot Analysis in Arc GIS software have been used to investigate the situation of inequality and to recognize the spatial pattern of inequality; Indexing is done in Excel software, and the information is called to Arc GIS to analyze and draw the map. Also, the Moran Spatial Autocorrelation Model was used to analyze and determine the type of distribution pattern or distribution of inequality in the blocks of the Tabriz metropolitan area in three consecutive periods 75, 85, and 95, and the results were in two types of outputs: Numerically and graphically displayed.

 In the present paper, hot spot analysis is performed separately for each social and economic sub-indices in the GIS environment. Then, the layers obtained from these indicators were combined, and Hot Spot Analysis has performed for these combined data. Cold and hot spot analysis has been applied for statistical periods of 75, 85, and 95 years. The purpose of this study is to analyze the spatial inequality in the city of Tabriz in the period 1375-1385 and 2016. According to the results of the analysis, the number and percentage of blocks with three levels (low, medium, and high) have been determined. The results show that in 1996, the blocks that have integrated integration indicators (social and economic) are deprived of an average of 3566 blocks out of a total of 9777 urban blocks, which is equivalent to 36%. Blocks with average indices of 19 percent and also blocks with high indices of 49% have the highest number of blocks in the city. In the last statistical period, which is related to the year 1995, according to the results of the analysis, low-rise blocks equivalent to 35%, are concentrated in the outskirts of the city and are related to integrated villages in the city and suburbs. And are tin settlements. Medium blocks with 15% are concentrated both in the center and on the outskirts of the city, as well as blocks with 51% of the total 11963 blocks in 1995, which included the highest number of blocks. As expected, they are located in the city center and the eastern part of the city. The results of data analysis in all three statistical periods showed that the pattern of distribution of spatial inequality in the metropolis of Tabriz follows the cluster model. Deprived clusters are located in the margins and medium clusters are in the margins of the center and sometimes in the margins. The situation indicates the existence of class distance in socioeconomic indicators in the years 1375-1385 and 2016.

 The comparison and analysis of development indicators in the city show that there is no homogeneity and distributive justice in the geographical distribution of development resources. Parts of the regions are in the center of capitalist and centralized development due to the regional situation and the voluntary decisions of the governments in the development process, and other parts of these regions have been temporarily excluded from this process for various reasons. Experiences of unbalanced growth in the metropolis of Tabriz show that achieving rapid development in the long run not only requires comprehensive attention to economic, social, physical, agricultural, and environmental development and improving the situation of deprived areas but also requires the application of socioeconomic efficiency. Should be determined the minimum targets related to the income of developed and underdeveloped areas and the interregional balance to advance the goals of sustainable development.