Analysis of Land Uses In Iraqi Cities

Abstract

Abstract—Land use plans in Iraqi cities are traditional and don’t seek to be sustainable and therefore could have negative impacts on the city from the environmental, economic, social and urban aspects. Consequently, the research aims to analyze the current and future of the land use for a set of Iraqi cities to reach the indicators of the gap between traditional and sustainable plans when planning for land uses. 
 The research conclusion is that most Iraqi cities are highly urban sprawl, both in reality and in the future expansion of the city. That is because it consumes a lot of agricultural land, cities with low population densities that are unsustainable, and most land uses are unsustainable focusing on reducing the agricultural and green lands in the city and increase residential uses (single type with very low density), and expand the areas of the streets that depend on the automated transportation more than sustainable transportation. 
 The research suggests that sustainable land uses in Iraqi cities should be as follows: 
  Residential use: vertical housing pattern 30 %, horizontal housing pattern 15 %. 
  Mixed use 12 %. 
  Green, open and recreational areas 22 %. 
  Sustainable transport 13 %. 
  Public, community and government services 8 %.