The Effects of Rural-Urban Linkages on Social Development Indicators: Comparison of Iran and China

The increasing expansion and density of cities and the excessive migration of villagers have made it necessary to deal with the model of sustainable development and rural-urban synergy. Urban and rural areas are inextricably linked economically, socially, and environmentally. The assumption of the separation of the city and the village causes the neglect of the mutual benefits of their demographic, economic, social and environmental dynamics. In the new development paradigm, it is reaffirmed that the traditional and outdated dichotomy of the city and village should be departed. The sustainability of urban and rural areas, as well as sustainable development, will only be possible via reducing inequality and the development gap between the city and the village.This paper compares and examines the importance of the link between cites and villages in Iran and China in historical periods with the method of comparative-historical analysis and analysis of national and international macro data and statistics.The findings indicate that China, with a distinct systematic plan, has experienced the strategy of connecting complementary regions of the country, especially connecting developed regions with underutilized regions, as the best solution for reducing poverty and regional development, and has been successful in reducing regional inequalities. Iran has implemented most of the partial and separate programs for the development of villages and cities.Generally speaking, both countries have contributed to the improvement of their social and welfare development indicators by experiencing continuous urbanization and connectivity between rural and urban areas