Urban sprawl encroaching on green areas in the city of Kut

Abstract

The phenomenon of urban sprawl over green areas is considered one of the most prominent planning challenges facing many cities, due to its direct impact on the green belts surrounding cities and on agricultural lands. This process leads to their shrinkage and decline, a reduction in agricultural production, and the subdivision and sale of these lands by their owners, converting them into residential, commercial, or industrial uses that lack proper planning.

This study aims to highlight the risks posed by urban sprawl on green areas, to demonstrate its environmental, social, and economic impacts on the city, and to propose solutions to this problem. It also seeks to identify the causes of urban sprawl and its effects in the city of Al-Kut, as well as to diagnose the current urban reality of the city in terms of land-use patterns and the factors influencing them.

The study reached a set of conclusions and recommendations. Globally, particularly in urban areas, rapid urban expansion - known

as urban sprawl - is occurring, often at the expense of green areas..