Comparative evaluation of sustainable development indicators in mountainous and non-mountainous areas (Case study: Isfahan Province)

Inequality in the development of different geographical areas is one of the major issues facing regional and district planners. Therefore, one of the common indicators in regional planning is the leveling of different geographical areas based on having sustainable development indicators. In the current research, an attempt has been made to investigate sustainable development indicators in mountainous and non-mountainous cities of Isfahan province by using factor analysis technique. The approach of the research was of quantitative-analytical type and the examined indicators were 53 cases. The result of using factor analysis was to reduce 53 research indicators to 6 final factors. According to the extracted points, the composite index of each city has been calculated. According to the composite index of each of the cities, the ranking of the cities of Isfahan province has been done in four levels. The findings of the research show that the cities of Isfahan, Kashan and Flowerjan have a very good level; The cities of Shahin Shahr and Mimeh, Ardestan, Shahreza, Khomeini Shahr, Semiram, Najaf Abad, Lanjan, Feridan, Mubarakeh, Aran and Bidgol, Feridunshahr and Chadegan are at a high level; The cities of Golpaygan, Tiran, Koron, and Khwansar are at a somewhat privileged level, and finally, the cities of Natanz, Dahaghan, Barkhar, Nain, Khor, and Biyabank are at the deprived level. Also, in this research, a division was made between mountainous and non-mountainous cities in terms of having sustainable development indicators, and the findings showed that the mountainous cities of Isfahan province, including Feridan, Feridunshahr, Semiram and Chadegan, are at the level of the cities of Tiran and Karon, Khwansar and Golpayegan are at a somewhat privileged level, and Dahaghan is at a deprived level.
 
Extended Abstract
 
Introduction
One of the main indicators in regional planning is the ranking of geographical areas based on their level of development indicators. Just as the degree of development varies among countries, there is also no uniformity or balance among provinces and regions within a country. The uneven distribution of resources and the influence of economic and social factors have caused the development of provinces and regions to follow an irregular pattern. This heterogeneity arises from two categories of factors: internal factors, such as natural and geographical conditions, water, soil, and climate, which provide a relative advantage when favorable, and external factors, such as policies and major development strategies, which play a determining role in regional growth. Consequently, spatial organization of regions becomes necessary with two main objectives: first, optimizing the location of settlements and facilities, and second, improving economic functions and activities to achieve a balanced model of spatial–physical development. Given the uneven spatial distribution of services across the country, it is essential to examine the position of regions in terms of their development indicators. Achieving sustainable regional development requires analyzing the current situation, evaluating the relationships among variables, and carefully anticipating future trends; such efforts can lead to optimal population distribution, enhancement of development indicators, and the realization of social justice. Within this framework, the present study aims to analyze development indicators in the counties of Isfahan Province and compare the status of mountainous and non-mountainous areas. The main objectives of the research are: assessing the status of development indicators in the counties, analyzing development indicators in mountainous and non-mountainous regions, and reducing and analyzing the indicators using factor analysis techniques.
 
Methodology
This study is applied in nature and employs a quantitative–analytical research approach. Data were collected from statistical yearbooks and the general population and housing censuses of Isfahan Province and analyzed using SPSS software and factor analysis techniques. Initially, 64 variables were selected, and after refinement, 53 indicators were used for the final analysis, encompassing health-care, residential, communication development, cultural, and educational indicators. Factor analysis was employed to utilize the inherent characteristics of the variables and reduce the number of indicators, and its suitability was assessed through the Chi-square and Bartlett tests to ensure the applicability of factor analysis in examining the development indicators of counties and both mountainous and non-mountainous areas of Isfahan Province.
 
Results and Discussion
In this study, the data matrix consisted of 44 indicators categorized into five groups: health-care, residential–physical, communications, cultural, and educational, for both mountainous and non-mountainous districts of Isfahan province. Factor analysis reduced 53 indicators to six main factors, explaining approximately 56.71% of the total variance. The first factor represented educational and health indicators, the second factor represented health-care indicators, the third factor included information and communication technology indicators along with some residential indicators, the fourth factor comprised residential indicators, the fifth factor represented cultural indicators, and the sixth factor combined health and residential indicators. Based on the composite score index, the districts were classified into four development levels: highly developed, developed, moderately developed, and underdeveloped. The findings indicate spatial development in Isfahan province is uneven, with the provincial center and Isfahan metropolis occupying higher positions due to advantages in economic, social, and cultural indicators and their role as growth poles. These results emphasize a core–periphery and growth-pole model of regional development and highlight that spatial imbalance arises from a combination of ecological, economic, and political factors.
 
Conclusion
This study indicates that the distribution of development indicators across the counties of Isfahan province is uneven, reflecting spatial inequality between mountainous and non-mountainous areas. Factor analysis reduced 53 indicators to six main factors: educational–health, health–treatment, informational–physical, residential, cultural, and health–physical, which together explain approximately 71.56% of the total variance. Based on the composite index, counties were classified into four development levels: highly developed, developed, moderately developed, and underdeveloped. The findings also show that most mountainous counties fall within the developed and moderately developed levels, with only one county classified as underdeveloped. These results emphasize that the uneven distribution of services and development indicators stems from a combination of ecological, economic, and political factors, and that the spatial development pattern in Isfahan province predominantly follows a center–periphery and growth-pole model.