GEOGRAPHICAL DIMENSIONS OF URBAN CHANGE: THE CASE OF ELAZIĞ

Abstract

The concept of urban change refers to a wider area than concepts such as urban transformation or urban renewal. Therefore, the change in cities is generally evaluated on separate elements and facts. The city of Elazığ, chosen as the study area, is an East Anatolian city that has been changing in recent years and has emerged in the 19th century. In the study are used land observations, satellite imagery, official statistics and zoning plans as basic data sources. In terms of population, it was observed that the city was on an upward trend, while the population in the city center decreased, the developmental axis increased and the city had a positive migration rate. In the settlement findings that the city showed different growth forms in different periods; periodically the texture of the settlement is similar; It was found that public housing projects and geomorphological units were effective on the settlement texture and that there was a significant increase in the number of floors in recent years. In terms of transportation was determined that the streets and boulevards were expanded with the increase in traffic density, new avenues and boulevards were formed, and the subway or bridge solutions for the traffic problems at the intersections were gradually increasing. In land use, it has been observed that the official institutions are moved to the close surroundings of the city, the recreation areas are increased and the southern ring road increases the impact on the choice of place. In addition to the increase in housing and land values from the economic point of view; there is growth in industry, trade and tourism sectors in city economy. In order to look at the change in cities more comprehensively, it is the focus of this study to explain the elements of change in the case of Elazığ and to explain how the changes in these elements have occurred after 1990s.