A Study of the Role of Small Towns in Spatial Organization and Regional Development (Case study: Small Towns of East Azerbaijan Province)

Hierarchical status and impact of small towns in the urban network may result in a balanced distribution of population and preventing its concentrating. Small towns provide various opportunities for economic and social development in the area which consequently reduces the migration and change the destination of the migrants from larger urban centers. Also, these cities play a role of the central market for rural hinterlands, while providing services for the rural area, they are considered as an important stimulus in promoting economic growth of the surrounding rural areas. The aim of this article is to study the performance of small towns in spatial development of East Azarbaijan Province. The research method is descriptive and analytical and quantitative models have been used to study the role of small towns. Population models show that small towns of the province have capacities for population elasticity. Also, economic models suggest that in most towns, service sector is the high proportion of the total labor. In small towns of the province the industry sector has experienced growth in the number of labor in 1375-85 periods.