Urban Expansion Dynamics and its Contributing Factors in Case of Durame Town, Central Ethiopia Region

Abstract

The major objective of this study is to examine urban expansion dynamics and its contributing factors in case of Durame Town, Central Ethiopia Region. A descriptive research design was used in the study, by employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data was gathered from primary and secondary sources. The target population consists of households. Both probabilistic and non-probabilistic sampling techniques were used for this study. To gather data, various methods were utilized, including questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, desk reviews, and field observations. Questionnaires were used to collect data from households, aiming to determine the contributing factors of urban expansion. Using the Likert scale, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (Version 25.0) was used to analyze the gathered data. Additionally, Landsat images from the United States Geological Survey were analyzed using a supervised classification technique in geographical information system software (Version 10.7) to measure the historical growth of urban expansion. The findings of the study on Durame town's urban expansion the factors contributing to this expansion are ranked as follows in terms of their contribution, from highest to lowest: Land use policy and urban planning, Land values, Physical factors, Economic factors, Infrastructure factors, Technological factors, Neighborhood factors, Proximity factors, Industrialization factors, and Climate factors. The annual average rate of urban expansion in Durame town from 1994 to 2024 is 21.41%. The expansion of Durame town has resulted in significant environmental impacts, including deforestation, loss of farmland, and encroachment on wetlands, degradation, and pollution. Future studies should address limitations by incorporating urban expansion modeling and investigating factors such as cultural diversity, social cohesion, governance structures, population dynamics, and migration patterns. This will provide a more comprehensive understanding of urban development.

Keywords: Contributing Factors; Impact of Urban Expansion, Land Use Land Cover; Urban Expansion   Dynamics; Urban Expansion

DOI: 10.7176/CER/17-1-01

Publication date: January 31^st 2025