The Role of Socio-Economic Factors in the Vulnerability of Rural Settlements (1996-2020)(Case: Takab County, West Azerbaijan)

Vulnerability of human settlements is affected by various factors. Damages of different origins have had different effects on human habitat, the extent which has been higher in rural areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the vulnerability of rural settlements in TakabCounty. The method used is qualitatively exploratory type. The statistical population of the present study was experts, all managers, and local people of rural settlements in TakabCounty. Sampling was performed using a purposivemethod. Theoretical saturation was used to determine the sample size, and interviews were continued until saturation was reached.Finally, 30 interviews were conducted. The method of analysis in this research is content analysis. The results of qualitative studies included 179 primary codes, 43 concepts, 16 sub-categories and 3 main categories. The results showed damages in form: environmental damages (water resources limitation, hazards, mining damages, fragmentation of agricultural lands and dispersal),economic damages (raw material sales, employment, product sales problems, low lack of services and infrastructure, mismanagement in the tourism sector and lack of support for carpet weavers) and social harms (migration, low participation of people in rural affairs, low level of literacy, especially women, unpopularity and damage caused bysocial networks).