Economic Sustainability and Its Relation to Spatial-Location Features in Iran: A Case Study of the Villages in Kouhin Subdistrict of Kaboudrahang County

Economic sustainability is a crucial factor in the vitality of rural areas. The area under study is facing difficulties and constraints such as limited and unsustainable income, the lack of diversified economic activities, the lack of employment opportunities, expansion of poverty and unemployment and consequent rural migration, negative population growth rate and pressure on the village limited economic resources. The study examined and assessed the economic sustainability and categorized the villages of Kouhin subdistrict using the Barometer of Sustainability. Also the relationship between economic sustainability and spatial-location features of villages was examined. The results indicated that Koohin subdistrct's position is below the average from a sustainable economic perspective and more than 60% of villages are nearly unsustainable. To achieve economic sustainability, the study recommended the following: diversification of economic activities emphasizing agricultural sector, increasing the income of rural people from activities related to agriculture such as handicrafts, processing of agricultural products and domestic jobs.