An Analysis of Informal Economy in Rural Economy Development (Case Study: Kurdistan Province)

Border areas have special characteristics due to contact with various external environments. Existence of spatial exchanges and connections on both sides of the border and various vulnerabilities and threats have given special importance to these border areas in the process of development planning and land management, which if neglected, they will seriously face major challenges. In this regard, the purpose of this study is the role of informal economy in the development of rural economy in Kurdistan province. The statistical population of the present study includes residents of rural areas located in border villages of Kurdistan province that are directly connected to the border; Therefore, 14 villages in Baneh Sarvabad counties were the final target of the present study and among the villages of these rural areas, 27 villages located at a maximum distance of 50 km from the border have been studied. The instrument used in this study includes a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity is content (formal) and structural and its reliability has been confirmed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The results showed that the residents of the villages in the border areas agreed with the employment in the informal sector and expressed their satisfaction with this type of employment.