Spatial Analysis Maps of Rural Settlements and Agricultural Development in Saqlawiya District Using Geographical Techniques

Abstract

     The research study aims to identify the geographic distribution of rural settlements and their spatial patterns in the Saqlawiyah municipality which is one of the administrative units of Fallujah district in Anbar province. In addition, digital maps were prepared using geographic techniques and spatial analysis tools in the ARCGIS10.8 software environment. The research relied on field studies and satellite images. Based on the inductive method of observing distribution patterns, the results showed that the spatial distribution pattern was randomly dispersed, with a nearest neighbor average value of 1.21. The Z-score value was 1.98, within the confidence level range of 0.10-0.05, and the Z-score was positive between 2.58 and 1.96. The mean center was determined to be in the Abu Sadeira province, and the central feature was the average center between the spatial distributions. The standard distance for the spatial distribution pattern of rural settlements was 610 meters, within which 0.78 of the rural settlement points were located around the average center, representing 15 settlements out of a total of 19. This indicates that they have less dispersion around their average center. The results also revealed that rural settlements extend linearly along the course of the Euphrates, including Khalaf Al-Sultan, Al-Mahamida, Saqlawiyah, Al-Bushjil, Al-Huwayrah, and Al-Bu Ali Al-Fayyad. This gives them importance in increasing agricultural production, as well as the decrease in actual cultivated areas in 2022 to 18,822 dunums a decrease of 13%. It was also found that most agricultural requirements are not available, and some farmers suffer from their old machinery and equipment.