A Survey on Function of Small Cities in the Urban System and Regional Development(Case Study: Yazd Province)

The aim of this paper is to investigate the function and role of small cities in Yazd province in urban system and regional development. The research method is descriptive – analytic. In which the quantity models and regression method and also data programs named SPSS are used. There are five small cities in Yazd province (25-50 thousand population) namely Ardakan, Meybod, Bafgh, Mehriz and Tabas which consist about 26 percent of urban population in the province. According to the surveys through Rank – Size Rule, in 1385, the linear gradient of Rank –Size Rule increases from - 1.652 including small cities to -1.745 excluding small cities. Economically industry & services are two basic parts in small cities which in central cities have followed an ascending model over the years of the survey. The linear trace of regression equation in all of these cities reveals that the agricultural part is below regression line, the service parts is on the line & Industry is above the line. This indicates the importance of industry in small cities. These cities have positive effects on urban. System of the province regarding population and economy. What has diminished the function of these cities in urban system and regional development, is the lack of minor cities in the urban hierarchy & the intense centralization of facilities in Yazd city, As a result, supporting small cities & allocating investment into them is a suitable solution in achieving balanced spatial structure in the surface of province