نشریه جغرافیا و توسعه ناحیه ای
سال هجدهم شماره 2 (پیاپی 35، پاییز و زمستان 1399)

The important agricultural sector policies, emphasis on strategic crops adapted to climate regions. The cultivation of these crops not only for farmers and villagers can bring economic stability, but also economic and political position in the country define special. General Purpose.This study reviews and analyzes the factors affecting the cultivation of pistachios and change cropping patterns in three dimensions: economic, environmental and public support is the pistachio.

The study area of the central city of Sabzevar and analysis unit 131 pistachio farmer working in the central city of Sabzevar six villages that have reached the stage of harvesting. The main tool for assessing the development of pistachio orchards, and pre-tested questionnaire was organized. For validity, content validity of the questionnaire was used. Validity motivational factors affecting cropping patterns Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to change the value of 0.72 was obtained.Results of Student's t-test showed that the economic dimension with an average of 4.06 was the most influential factor in the development of pistachio cultivation. After 3.76 in the second highest environmental, public support with an average of 1.65 in the cultivation of pistachios had very little effect.

Nowadays, rural governance as a new process in government with its own indicators can raise new discussions on local governance in rural areas and empower rural residents in different areas of decision making, implementation and evaluation. These are affected by factors such as environmental, economic, social and organizational factors. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting governance in local management of Zanjan Township. Considering the importance of the subject matter, the type of research is applied and the method is descriptive-analytic. To collect data, two methods of library and field studies were used. The statistical population of this research is 25588 households and local managers of the study area, which was calculated through a sample of rural households of 382 households. Among the local managers, 50 people of the sample village municipality and heads of Islamic councils were selected as samples. To analyze the data, one-sample t-test, Spearman and Pearson correlation and regression were used. The results of the one sample t-test showed that the governance in the study areas is at a moderate level and a correlation test   showed that there is a significant relationship between all components and governance except for the components of distance from the city, the gender of the dignitary, the fire fighting equipment, the ownership of the land, and the building by asistant. Regarding the impact of the components, social capital has had the greatest impact on governance in the study area, so it can be said that in order to improve governance in the region, social capital should be strengthened as much as possible, along with other factors.

In recent decades, tourism has become one of the most growing industrial sectors in the world. Countries need to have a suitable investment climate. It is characterized by a set of factors related to legislation, regulatory, organizational, economic, social, political, and other factors that determine the conditions of investment activity in a country, province, or city. This study examines the impact of investment climate on tourism revenue in selected Middle East countries. Numerous factors can affect the investment climate. In this study, numerous factors such as corruption control, rule of law, quality of regulations, government efficiency, the right to comment and accountability, political stability, and the general index of the business environment were considered. The share of tourism revenues in GDP is also considered as an indicator of tourism revenues. Data analysis was done using the panel-data method in the period 2016-2006 for 13 selected countries of the Middle East. The results showed that the quality of regulations and the effectiveness of government have a positive and significant effect on the share of tourism revenues from GDP and control of corruption, business climate index have a negative and significant effect on the share of tourism revenues from GDP in selected Middle East countries. With respect to results, it can be said that improvement to the investment climate is one of the important factors that should be considered in the field of tourism. In the other words, if there is a suitable investment climate in a country, the tourism sector and related sub-sectors such as transportation and hotel management will develop. Finally, suitable investment climate can increase the share of tourism revenues in GDP. If the indicators of good governance (such as political stability, quality of regulation, control of corruption, the right to comment and respond, the effectiveness of government, and the rule of law) improve, the investment climate and, consequently, tourism revenues will improve.

One of the most important factors that result in rural development is preparing good conditions for rural entrepreneurship. The development requires enough attention to the motivations of those who intend to start entrepreneurship. Choosing entrepreneurship, taking risks, dealing with different problems, and tackling obstacles necessitate very strong motivations. The study was conducted to identify the pull and push motivations perceived by rural entrepreneurs of handicrafts. The statistical population of the study was rural entrepreneurs of handicrafts sector in South Khorasan Province, from among of which 22 participants were selected using snowball sampling. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews from November 2017 to June 2018. Analyzing the data using Colaizzi method let to seven major theme: Job problems, social barriers, improper resources productivity as push factors and social motivations, achieving economic progress, facilitating employments, and personal-psychological characteristics as pulling motivations. The results show that local entrepreneurs having the significant factor of interest in their own hometown and culture and preventing forgetting the handicrafts of the regions, are so motivated to do entrepreneurial works in spite of various problems. So, it is recommended that officials support productive employment and maintain art and culture in rural areas by facilitating starting new jobs and giving especial facilities to the active people of the sector.

In the 1987–2018 statistical period, unprecedented rainfall amounts of about 320mm in 72 hours were recorded at Ilam in October 2015. This heavy rainfall was studied from the perspective of teleconnection, the flux of the Rossby wave activity and synoptic-dynamical analysis. To investigate meteorological quantities, the ERA5 data with horizontal resolution of 0.25 degrees were used. To determine the predictability of the above precipitation, the WRF model was run for three nested domains with respectively 36, 12 and 4 km horizontal resolutions and then simulated rainfall values were compared with the observations. The results show that based on the flux of the Rossby wave activity, the system is received Rossby-wave activity mainly from the middle latitudes. Moreover, the combination of the strong Sudanese and Mediterranean low-pressure systems, the impact of the Chappala tropical storm as a source of injecting moisture into the region, the blocking created in the middle troposphere, the ridge formed in the southern latitudes of Iran, and the impact of the Zagros Mountains are the main factors affecting this heavy rainfall event. The results of teleconnection study showed that the moderate to strong descending branch of the El Nino prevented the eastward movement of the phase 2 and strong MJO convection. The MJO phase 2 activity has extended and strengthened the ridge in the southern latitudes of Iran, leading to several days of system persistence and continuous rainfall in the study area. Further, the positive NAO phase has led to strong pressure gradients and cyclonic reinforcement in the eastern Mediterranean. The simulation results of WRF model also showed correlation coefficients of 88% with 95% significance level. The 8% error rate between simulation and observation precipitation showed the remarkable model's ability to predict this rainfall.

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting customers’ loyalty to the ecolodges of Birjand, Sarbisheh, and Khosf. The study was a survey and used library and questionnaire for collecting data. The statistical population of the study includes tourists who resided in the ecolodges of Birjand, Sarbisheh, and Khosf. The sample size in this study was 250 people, using Cochran method. In addition to descriptive statistics like frequency distribution, inferential statistical tests were used to analyze the data. The results showed tangible factors (with Pearson statistic 0.678), credibility factor (with Pearson statistic 0.586), confidence factor (with Pearson statistic 0.146), accountability factor (with Pearson statistic 0.485), empathy factor (with Pearson statistic 0.586), and the factor of loyalty (Pearson statistic 0.394) on the loyalty of tourists to ecotourism resorts is positive and significant. In this study, the factors affecting the loyalty of tourists to ecotourism resorts in Birjand, Sarbisheh, and Khosaf were evaluated based on the six components of tangible factors: credibility, reliability, responsiveness, empathy, and loyalty. Given that there is a significant relationship between customer confidence and loyalty factors, training courses are needed to improve employee behavior. Also, the responsiveness factor has the greatest impact on customer loyalty. The relationship between tourist loyalty and the factor of confidence is less than other factors, however, to maintain and improve this position, measures are needed to gain the confidence of tourists. Providing desirable services to tourists improves the perceived value of services and thus provides tourists with satisfaction and ultimately increases their loyalty to the residence.

Health tourism development can play an important role in creating jobs and enhancing social welfare at national and local levels; it can also positively influence socioeconomic development in general and rural regions in particular. The purpose of this study is examining the role and effect of health tourism on improving the economic capacities of rural areas around Meshgin Shahr Township. Document studies were used to gain an understanding of health tourism. Next, the effects of such tourism on improving the economic capacities of rural environments were obtained using questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Then, the necessary adjustments were made based upon the extracted commonalities. The finalized effects were compiled in the form of author-made questionnaires as the most important effects of health tourism development on improving economic capacities. Based on the findings, the direct effect of the production index on economic capacity improvement was found to be lower than other dimensions while the economic diversity index involved the highest direct effect. Moreover, the economic diversity index affects all indices and has been indirectly effective in the improvement of economic capacities through all indices. The development of spa complexes in Meshgin Shahr paved the way for the inflow of various local and non-local capitals to these areas. Furthermore, the presence of tourists in this region has resulted in the improvement of rural infrastructure, increase in the productions of rural residents in different areas, creation of non-agricultural jobs, and rural economic diversity.

As one of the major sub-sectors of tourism, the knowledge on medical tourism development with a competitive advantage is still limited. Considering the significant position and capabilities of the Iranian medical tourism industry in the region, the aim of this study was to compile the determinants and introduce the strategies for the development of medical tourism taking destination competitiveness approach in Health Macro-region No. 5 (Fars Province). This study was conducted by a combination of both qualitative and quantitative techniques. In the first phase, the content analysis was selected as the research strategy and MAXQDA software 18 was used for data analysis. In the second phase, the identified indexes were examined for evaluating the status quo of the region using SWOT technique. To do so, by combining SWOT and fuzzy DEMATEL techniques, different strategies were identified and prioritized using AHP technique. In this research, a framework of indexes was compiled and evaluated taking the destination competiveness approach from different aspects. Accordingly, the current status of the region in question was identified and finally, different strategies were proposed. This research was conducted with the aim of qualitative growth of medical tourism and development of a sustainable market based on the identified indexes. In this line, creating competitive advantage through integrated services and compiling, designing and implementing the strategies of this industry in different combinations in Shiraz was taken into account. It can be argued that authorities of health tourism field are required to pay due attention to the results of this research in future planning.

Recently increasing cases of disastrous events especially flood has been one of the biggest concerns. The effects of flood on the resident of flood-stricken regions are inappropriate; and the settlers of rural areas suffer a lot from damages because their livelihood depends on agriculture. This study tried to analyze the effects of flood on the livelihood capitals of rural families. The applied study uses a descriptive-analytical method. It is a survey study. The statistical population includes settlers of eight villages around the city of Aq Qala out of which 346 families were selected as the sample size, using Cochrane formula. In order to analyze vulnerability of livelihood capitals, 43 variables were used using Likert scale from the economic, social, physical, natural and human aspects. Data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. Content validity of questionnaire was approved by professors and experts, and its reliability was achieved 89% using Cronbach alpha. Questionnaires were analyzed using Freidman, Chi-square and Kruskal Wallis statistical tests in the SPSS software. Results show that agriculture is the main source of income in this region and flood has had inappropriate effects on livelihood capitals such as land, irrigation, livestock, houses, infrastructures, jobs, etc. and has weakened sources of income. Freidman test results show that most vulnerability belongs to physical, economic, human, social and natural capitals. Cooperation strategy of governmental and private sectors can help the flood-stricken people to resist. Designing a rapid warning system and creating capacity in order to fight against disasters will be useful. These preparations should be made in the regions susceptible to flooding.

With the aim of revealing the at revealing the synchronic role of mid-latitude atmospheric cut-off lows and low-level jets in the continuation of daily rainfall of the west and northwest in Iran, maps of geopotential height, thickness, vorticity, vertical motion (omega), specific humidity, zonal and meridional winds of ECMWF and NCEP has been used. Daily rainfall data for the period 1995-2014 have been received from the Iran Meteorological Organization. Nieto and Reboita methods and Bonner criterion have been used to identify cut-off low and low-level Jet, respectively.  The results showed that out of the total rainfall periods, 60 cases are directly related to atmospheric cut-off lows. These cut-off lows were located in three regions East of the Mediterranean Sea, the Middle East and East of the Black Sea. The highest frequency of this phenomenon was related to winter and was identified with a maximum in January. In the study of the life cycle of these systems, it was found that cut-off lows with a duration of two days have the highest durability and in the days of the occurrence of the cut-off low, low-level Jets accompanied them in 58 occurrences. Low level Jets, by intensifying the convergence in the low levels of the atmosphere, on the one hand, provide the conditions for intensifying the upper-level divergence caused by the cut-off low phenomenon and on the other hand, increasing the moisture transport, so that the intensification of low level Jets, intensifies the instability caused by the cut-off lows.The amount of atmospheric moisture transport reveals that the main sources of moisture in Continuous rainfall periods caused by cut-off Low are Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Arab Sea and Black Sea respectively.

Common catchment areas are becoming increasingly important in the development of hydropolitic stresses in different areas. Based on widespread environmental change, we will see an ever-expanding array of dams for various exploitation by countries in different regions of the world in the next decade. The purpose of this study was to examine the Illslu Dam and the political, economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts of Turkey's dam construction on the downstream Tigris (Iraq, Syria and Iran). Given that there are no regional treaties for the proper utilization of shared water resources in the Middle East region, such actions by Turkey as an upstream country can lead to environmental crises for downstream countries, exacerbate tensions, and even water wars in the region. The study used descriptive-analytical method. Super Decision software was used to study the impacts of dam on downstream countries of Tigris. Findings show that the incidence of political conflicts with a weight of 0.11026, the destruction of food security with a weight of 0.13774, population displacement with a weight of 0.09788, drying of Horalhvizeh-Horalazim wetland with a weight of 0.09843, infiltration of saline water into the Persian Gulf 0.09337 have the most impact The construction of dams and also these factors will have the greatest impact on increasing tensions between upstream and downstream countries in the short term. In order to solve the problems and difficulties arising from the construction of dams on trans-boundary rivers, we need to ratify and formulate regional treaties between the countries of the common areas.

The main purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze the understanding the meaning of local communities of the consequences of allocating dam water to rural settlements in Kurdistan province. This case study was conducted in two villages of Legzi (with dam water) and Gol Tappeh (deprived of dam water) located in Saqez Township. For collecting field data, the main reliance of researchers was on individual and group interviews and thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data. In this way, in Legzi village were conducted 6 in-depth interviews and three panel sessions and in Gol Tappeh village, 7 in-depth interviews and three panel sessions. It should be noted that the sampling method was purposeful and the basis for completing the interviews was theoretical saturation. The results showed that the allocation of dam water to the residents of Legzi village evokes positive themes such as “sustainability of local economy”, “sustainability of local community”, “flourishing motivation for success”, and “increasing environmental compatibility”, which has ultimately formd the macro theme of “sustainable rural development”. On the contrary, the perception of the inhabitants of Gol Tappeh village of no allocation of dam water to them has been associated with negative themes and sometimes creating functional changes in the village, such as "feeling of relative deprivation", "fragility of the local economy", "instability of the local community" and "serviceability of rural jobs", which have led to the formation of the"rural instability" macro theme. The results show that adoption and implementation of dual policies of allocation/non-allocation of dam water to rural communities can be effective in functional-structural changes in villages by associating macro concepts of sustainability/instability of rural development. Therefore, it seems that the revision of water allocation policies in the country is an undeniable necessity.