Reality analysis of the state of spatial distribution of green areas using geographic information systems (GIS) – The holy city of Najaf as a case study

Abstract

Green areas are an essential component of city planning, as they serve as an outlet for them to spend their free time, in addition to the environmental role that these green areas play in improving the city’s climate by purifying the air and beautifying the city. The study’s problem is summarized in identifying the appropriateness of the current spatial distribution of green areas in the city of Najaf with the current population densities and the pattern in which green areas are distributed using GIS and knowing the per capita share of those green areas in the city, the research assumes that the inconsistency of spaces between regions Green and residential neighbourhoods need to conform to the standards for the individual share. The research also aims to know the reality of the green areas in the holy city of Najaf using GIS to take advantage of the capabilities provided by the program in the field of entering and analysing information related to its spatial distribution, as well as identifying the pattern in which the green areas are distributed in the city of Najaf, and come up with recommendations and proposals to address the existing imbalance. The research found that more than half of the neighbourhoods in the region do not conform to the standard followed in assessing the individual’s share, where the individual’s share ranged between (0.4-3.9) square meters, and there are neighbourhoods completely devoid of green areas, and this is due to poor planning in those areas. On the neighbourhood link index, the pattern of distribution of these green areas was aggregated to random. As for the Moran coefficient, its value departed from one frequently, indicating a weak spatial and random correlation of green areas, The area reached by the impact area of the green areas reached (5512) hectares, which is equivalent to (83.32%) of the total area of the Holy City of Najaf, and the neighbourhoods near the middle centre and surrounding it are the most intersecting neighbourhoods in the impact area.