This study examines the disparities in the availability of public healthcare facilities in Greater Mumbai with an aim to propose spatially sustainable solutions for promoting good health and well-being. We use data from the Open City – Urban Data Portal and the Census of India to develop thematic mapping, a linear growth model, the Bivariate Moran’s I, and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) to achieve the findings. Our study reveals that the highly populated wards, such as P/N, L, and M/E, remain underserved, while the specialized healthcare units are disproportionately clustered in a few central wards. On the other hand, some southern wards show a relatively better alignment between population and facilities. Overall, most wards exhibit weak or belowaverage associations between population and healthcare facilities, with only G/S displaying a strong positive match. These patterns underscore the uneven geography of healthcare access, posing serious challenges to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3. The study calls for targeted interventions and a ward-level redistribution of facilities to bridge these spatial gaps and move towards equitable healthcare provision in Mumbai.
This study examines spatial marginalization in Bosansko Grahovo, one of the most depopulated and socio-economically underdeveloped municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located on the EU border with Croatia. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates a previously developed Geographical Marginalization Index (GMAR) with survey data and interviews. The findings reveal a strong convergence between quantitative indicators of marginalization and residents’ perceptions, supporting the interpretation of Bosansko Grahovo as an example of double periphery defined by geographical remoteness and systemic exclusion. While the border itself is not perceived as the primary driver of decline, post-war legacies, institutional fragmentation and infrastructural deficits interact cumulatively to produce what is conceptualized as a selfreinforcing vicious circle of marginalization. Combining quantitative indicators with perception-based evidence allows for a better understanding of how marginalization persists in peripheral border areas.
Urban aging is a generalized phenomenon in developed countries and Romania is no exception. Romanian cities, marked by alert urbanization during the communist period, against the background of forced industrialization policies, have rapidly joined the path of inevitable ageing in the post-1990. The territorial or hierarchical disparities that have emerged are based on connections with the specific evolution of demographic transition trends or with how society has adapted to the post-communist context (the transition to a market economy, integration into the European Union). This demographic process was favoured by the coincidence of three essential phenomena specific to this context: fertility decline, massive emigration and increased life expectancy. By using official data, processed from the perspective of both descriptive and multivariate statistics, this exploratory study points out the existence of distinct patterns of evolution, explainable by variables such as demographic size, geographical position, the existence of regional or local specificities, etc. The explanatory value of the variables tested to capture the context in which this process evolves in Romanian cities was validated, both from a general and from a regional or hierarchical perspective. The obtained results create a solid basis for deepening the studied process at the local level through case studies that can more accurately reveal how Romanian cities have adapted to the new social-economic context.
Forecasting soil erosion using USLE and degradation trends in the Dargol river basin (west Africa). This study uses the USLE model of Wischmeier and Smith to forecast surface erosion in the Dargol basin (Burkina Faso/Niger, 7 457 km²). It uses earth observation data in applications in the study area to analyse and assess soil degradation and the impact on runoff conditions. The techniques of preprocessing and classification of spatial data used the model and produced the results of all factors of the model in the GIS. The images are provided by the Landsat-OLI sensor in 2015, used to produce the C factor, which varies between 1.00 and 0.24. The K factor is obtained from the FAO soil map of the world, showing soil erodibility between 0.03 and 0.34; the R factor, computed from the CHIRPS weather data, indicates a rainfall erosivity ranging from 139 to 193; the LS factor modelled from a digital elevation model shows a variation of elevations from 0.95 to 81.18. Eventually, the extent of the river basin is subject to an average annual soil loss of 72 t/ha/year. The flow accumulation is observed to be very high, taking into account the lower variability of the C and K factors, which can be linked to a strong surface degradation despite the increasing Sahel heavy rainfall events, which cause extensive degradation.
Drainage pattern is influenced by the underlying surface and tectonic features of the territory. Lithology and tectonics are major controls of stream network and drainage. This study is motivated by the need to investigate the influence of lithological and tectonic factors on the formation and development of drainage networks, with the goal of advancing structural-geomorphological research in Bulgaria and exploring its applicability in risk assessment. The Panagyurska and Strelchanska Luda Yana drainage basins are the objects of study, and the analysis focuses on the drainage network density. The water permeability and erodibility of various rock types and lithological formations were also studied. Fault density and drainage pattern were also determined for the study area. Results confirmed that unconsolidated sediments contribute to higher drainage density. Sedimentary rocks tend to result in relatively high drainage density values, while volcano-sedimentary rocks exhibit both high and low drainage density, depending on specific lithological and topographic factors. Intrusive igneous rocks are associated with a relatively high drainage density, greater than that of migmatized rocks. The density of 1st order streams in volcano-sedimentary rocks further supports the conclusion that, in the development of the drainage network, both lithological properties and topographic factors are significant. The Panagyurska Luda Yana basin exhibits a higher fault density, while the Strelchanska Luda Yana basin shows a lower fault density. In both basins, the rectangular drainage pattern prevails in the middle course, while the annular pattern is prevalent in the upper course, with parallel patterns occurring predominantly in areas of sedimentary and volcano-sedimentary rocks. The findings provide a basis for further research, particularly into the weathering resistance of rocks, and contribute to the development of hydrogeological and hydro-climatic analyses of the studied area. The results also have practical value for regional and local authorities in developing strategies to prevent risk events and implement effective measures to mitigate their impact.
Enhancing the capacity for the joint development of population structure and regional economy is crucial for promoting high-quality new-type urbanization in the modern development era. By integrating the PES (Population – Economy – Society) model with the coupled coordination model and the obstacle factor diagnostic model, a comprehensive evaluation index system for population structure and regional economy was established. This system was then employed to analyse the coupling relationship between population structure and regional economy, and to identify major obstacles in Ulanqab from 2000 to 2020. The findings indicate that (1) both the composite index of population structure and that of the regional economy exhibited a fluctuating upward trend, with population structure development preceding that of the regional economy; and that (2) the coupling degree and coupling coordination degree demonstrated an overall upward trajectory, reaching a stage characterized by high-quality coupling and favourable coordination. However, the coupling coordination degree lagged behind the coupling degree. (3) The urban-rural, employment, and cultural structures emerged as key impediments to urbanization. Specifically, major barriers included the number of primary and secondary school students, the number of full-time primary and secondary school teachers, the urban-rural income gap, and the urban Engel coefficient. (4) To address these challenges, it is essential to accelerate the transformation and upgrading of the industrial structure, gradually reduce the urban-rural income gap, improve the quality of basic education, and promote the coordinated development of population structure and regional economy.
Geography learning was mostly conducted classically, inside the classrooms. Its theories and materials were commonly presented by giving stimulus or problems which exist in the surrounding area. Meanwhile, deep learning can be conducted through contextual studies outside the classroom by performing observation directly. Contextual studies for the learners can use the fieldwork method to explain in detail about materials or problems that exist in surrounding area. The aims of this research are to determine the potential landscape that can be used as a fieldwork-based geography learning starting from the geography curriculum in Indonesia, and to apply the contextual study on geography learning through fieldwork in Sumbermanjing Wetan. The method used to meet the first objective was conducting a survey to determine the potential locations for learning based on each location’s characteristics, which later correlated to the students’ basic competence to achieve learning goals. To meet the second objective of study, the researchers performed a pre-experimental design: one such case study was conducted through fieldwork in locations that had been pre-determined/ mapped. The result of this study showed that there are locations that can be used in fieldwork-based geography learning, such as peak hills, alluvial plains, springs, fishery areas, mangrove ecosystems. Each has different characteristics that can be used in geography learning. Various aspects in basic competence were included in fieldwork location study. Each student actively contributed to fieldwork-based learning in locations that had been mapped to learn about facts and conditions of the sites, so they could deeply analyse the phenomenon that took place there. The activeness of students could be seen from the problem identification process through to the observation activity, from their participation in discussion, to simple experiments on study sites.
Mount Merapi, one of Indonesia's active mountains, still has the potential to cause lahar flows. The spatial modelling of lahar flow can be done to determine the characteristics of lahar flow distribution and the area that can be affected through the integration with data on danger zone areas (known in Indonesian as Kawasan Rawan Bencana or KRB), the river network, and the historical lahar volume. Lahar flow modelling produces four classes of lahar volume scenarios, namely 125,000 m3, 250,000 m3, 500,000 m3, and 1,000,000 m3. The modelling results show that if the scenario of lahar volume with the highest flow class of 1,000,000 m3 occurs, the impact of lahar flow can reach the KRB I zone, which has the lowest hazard potential compared to KRB II and KRB III. This study aims to map the settlement and cattle distribution after the 2010 Merapi eruption through geovisualization, based on the results of lahar flow modelling. Geovisualization is processed from data such as the road network, the river network, the distribution of settlements, the distribution of evacuation sites, the population of each affected sub district, the number of cattle, and the lahar flow modelling data around the Krasak River area, which is located on the border of Sleman Regency and Magelang Regency. The geovisualization results of settlement and cattle distribution are used to analyse distribution patterns, evacuation road networks, and the condition of the settlements and the cattle. Through geovisualization, valuable and easy-to-understand information will be presented related to lahar flow schemes, danger zone areas, the distribution of population and the cattle affected by the eruption, the distribution of settlements, the evacuation sites and cowsheds, and the routes to the evacuation sites.
The severity and frequency of short-term but highly damaging urban floods have increased in recent years worldwide and have been caused by climate change. The casualties of urban floods are usually not high, but the material damage and economic losses can be quite significant due to the population density of these areas and the various economic activities concentrated in urban regions. For this reason, this type of flooding is always catastrophic. This paper explores the impact of urban flooding on the tourism infrastructure in Bihać using the multi-criteria ArcGIS analysis. The results show that 55.8% of the studied area is at a low elevation and has gentle slopes, making it particularly susceptible to flooding. Annual precipitation reaches up to 1,305 mm, with 35–38% of the total rainfall recorded in the urban centre of Bihać, where the key tourism infrastructure is located. The buffer zone analysis revealed that most hospitality and accommodation facilities are situated within 20 to 100 meters of the Una River’s shoreline, making them directly vulnerable during seasonal floods. Despite this, the number of tourist arrivals has been steadily increasing – from 33,433 arrivals in 2021 to 48,330 in 2023, with foreign tourists accounting for 60% of all visitors. The research findings highlight the need for the implementation of precise spatial plans and protective measures to reduce the negative impact of floods on tourism trends in this city.
L’Académie Roumaine – initiatrice et partisane de la fondation de la Société Roumaine de Géographie. La création de la Société Roumaine de Géographie (SRG) par le prince Carol I (roi depuis 1888) était basée sur la confiance et la collaboration d’un grand nombre de membres de l’Académie Roumaine qui soutenaient la nécessité d’avoir une organisation qui s’occuperait de la présentation géographique précise du territoire, de la population et de l’économie de la Roumanie. L’évolution de la SRG a connu de nombreuses étapes complexes, correspondantes aux aspects politiques, économiques et sociaux de la Roumanie: les débuts et les précurseurs (1875–1900); le développement de la géographie moderne (1900–1946); la géographie pendant la période communiste (1946–1989) et la géographie après 1990. Le développement de la géographie roumaine moderne, sous la coordination du professeur Simion Mehedinți, membre de l’Académie Roumaine, s’est fait en étroite collaboration avec la géographie française et allemande auprès de l’Université de Bucarest. Des départements de géographie ont ensuite été créés aux universités de Iași (1904), Cluj (1919) et Cernăuți (1919, actuellement en Ukraine). Le géographe français Emmanuel de Martonne, membre honoraire de l’Académie roumaine, et des membres de l’Académie roumaine (George Vâlsan, Constantin Brătescu, Vintilă Mihăilescu et Victor Tufescu) ont joué un rôle important dans l’évolution de la SRG.
L'Andalousie, la région la plus méridionale de l'Espagne, est dotée d'un patrimoine historique, artistique, culturel et paysager d'une grande richesse. C'est également l'une des principales destinations touristiques de la péninsule ibérique. Au fil des ans, le secteur du tourisme a évolué pour refléter les transformations économiques et sociales du pays, mais aussi pour adapter ses politiques aux enjeux modernes, tels que la gestion du tourisme de masse et l'adoption de stratégies visant à diversifier l'offre. Le document propose une analyse diachronique de l'industrie touristique andalouse, en examinant les facteurs qui ont marqué son processus de croissance, jusqu'à la transformation postpandémique et l'intégration des principes de durabilité pour relever les défis du développement rural, de la protection et de la mise en valeur du patrimoine, ainsi que de l'inclusion sociale. L'accent sera mis sur des projets spécifiques concrètement appliqués dans la région, tels que le tourisme écologique et le tourisme régénérateur, et leur impact économique, social et territorial sera évalué. L'aspect méthodologique consistera à extrapoler les données officielles sur le tourisme régional et à analyser la dynamique évolutive et l'impact socio-économique de l'adoption de pratiques « vertes », favorisant le développement de formes de tourisme rural et résilient. L'article examine les opportunités et les défis auxquels l'Andalousie est confrontée pour garantir des bénéfices durables pour la communauté locale et l'environnement. Il présente également les résultats du processus de croissance, puis d'adaptation aux modèles de marché modernes du tourisme andalou, qui ont permis de retrouver les niveaux d'activité d'avant la crise. Les résultats mettent en évidence l'approche avant-gardiste de la région dans l'adoption de pratiques durables dans le secteur du tourisme pour répondre aux besoins territoriaux et sociaux.
Sustainable, smart, and green cities are developed to improve residents' quality of life through various approaches. They stress the application of the Internet of Things in various fields. A green smart city tries to combine digital and technology-based advanced solutions in urban areas with sustainable practices. The present study employs a Bibliometric analysis to examine scientific publications in the field of smart, sustainable, and green cities based on various parameters such as publications, authorship, citations, journals, and countries. The data is collected from the Web of Science database. The terms used to extract data were ‘Green Smart Cities’ and ‘Sustainable Smart Cities’. Using the search keyword, 5,393 documents were obtained in the initial run, whereas 3,089 publications which include the most relevant areas were finally selected for the analysis. The study identifies that the work of Smart Cities in Europe by Caragliu (2011) is the most cited research in the field. The study also found that ‘Sustainable Cities and Society’ and ‘Sustainability’ are the most significant Journals in the area along with ‘Cities’ and ‘Journal of Cleaner Production’. Researchers in China are doing their utmost best regarding smart and sustainable cities in the different cities of the world. It is expected that this scientometric analysis complement the researchers in understanding and monitoring the direction of research in the field of sustainable and smart cities.
Land use-driven ecosystem services cascade analysis has emerged as a focal point in social-ecological system research, providing an analytical framework for constructing conceptual models, identifying core issues, modular modelling, and consolidating research consensus. This study adopts a systematic review approach in line with the PRISMA guidelines, retrieving literature from databases such as Web of Science and CNKI for the 2013–2024 period. Core challenges, including uncertainty in service transmission and insufficient cross-scale integration, were identified, and future research should strengthen extreme climate scenario simulation and policy tool integration. This study reviews current applications of and trends in cascade analysis in integrated ES assessment, model validation, prediction of interactions, and integration of emerging technologies. Research demonstrates that land use-driven ES cascade analysis holds significant application value in revealing complex feedback relationships between land use patterns, ecosystem services, and human well-being, as well as informing territorial spatial planning and ecosystem management policies.
This article examines the urban resilience strategies adopted by the city of Salamanca in response to the challenges posed by climate change, sustainability and historic heritage conservation. It aims to assess the extent to which adaptive measures have been integrated into urban planning, with particular emphasis on sustainability and the preservation of cultural heritage. Drawing on an analytical methodology that includes the review of local policies and flagship initiatives, such as Low Emission Strategy, Savia Salamanca and Life Vía de la Plata, which combine nature-based solutions with urban regeneration; jointly with secondary literature, progress in the implementation of these initiatives and persistent challenges will be reviewed. Despite advances reflected in the Local Action Plan of the Urban Agenda, which underscores Salamanca’s commitment to a resilient and sustainable urban model, there are still significant challenges in the long-term implementation of these policies. Achieving a balanced and resilient development model will require enhanced cooperation among stakeholders, improved environmental indicators and the promotion of social inclusion.
Several South African cities are faced with challenges of rapid urbanisation, overpopulation, spatial inequalities, and poor service delivery. The greatest challenge facing South African municipalities is providing efficient and quality service delivery to their citizens. The challenges facing the municipalities include service delivery backlogs, the lack of proper governance, institutional weaknesses, maladministration, and corruption. These fundamental issues have a negative impact on the community as poor service delivery has a direct effect on livelihoods. In this study, the researcher has shown that good governance is a huge obstacle in South Africa, which obstructs the efforts of addressing inequalities associated with poverty. While government has designed numerous policies to address the developmental deficit, it has been found wanting in terms of the proper implementation of its policies and its assessment of their impact on communities. The study has established that there is a need for a continuous process to plan and design sustainable policies that will drive development in the city of Ekurhuleni. Policies that will integrate city planning to ensure that development is guided by a smart city design, spatial inclusiveness and sustainable development. The findings of this study show that good governance is a critical requirement to ensure high standards of development and making a meaningful impact on the lives of those who are in dire need of escaping poverty. Therefore, the city of Ekurhuleni bears a great responsibility of designing a smart and sustainable urban development program which will be comprehensive in addressing the various spatial and urban development challenges.
Water-related disasters have severely affected human life, the economy, and the environment. In recent decades, especially in the second half of the 20th century, water-related disasters have attracted extensive worldwide attention. Recently, it has become a significant issue in Sri Lanka. Both floods and droughts have spread widely throughout the country, and flood influence is more common every year. This study was conducted in the Kelani River Basin (KRB), Sri Lanka, and examines the problems and challenges in building river basin resilience to water-related disasters. Through a comprehensive methodology that included a literature review, focus group discussions, and semi-structured interviews, this study identified eight key challenges in the risk management process in the KRB, such as population growth and pressure, the absence of proper plans, insufficient funds etc. The data was analysed using conceptual content analysis, ranking methods, and problem tree analysis. Based on these findings, we developed an integrated risk management framework designed to minimize the risk of water-related disasters in the region. The framework proposes strategic policy changes and provides several practical methods to improve existing risk management practices. This research serves as a valuable scientific reference, offering concrete solutions for future comprehensive decision-making processes. To manage the risk of water-related disasters, policy changes should be accommodated in the risk management practices, and this study has suggested several practice methods; this will be a popular science measure that can provide scientific references and solutions for the comprehensive decision-making process in the future.
Service centres are crucial to regional development, driving socio-economic progress by offering essential services. The study analyses the spatial distribution of 57 rural service centres in Munger district using the Composite Centrality Index (CCI) based on secondary data. Munger ranks highest with a CCI of 26.64, while Bangawan ranks lowest at 0.10, with a total CCI of 80.51. The centres are categorised into four hierarchical levels based on the CCI, revealing varying clustering patterns: first-level centres are moderately clustered, second-level less so, and third- and fourth-level centres are randomly distributed. These findings provide important insights for regional planning and for addressing disparities.
The architectural transformation of the living space is happening worldwide and impacts the cultural use of space. The habitus concept is used to understand how the Mithila Art or Madhubani painting has been affected by architectural transformation. The main focus is whether the Hindi people of the Madhubani area can still paint for ritual ceremonies and worship gods, and how they adapt or respond to change. About twenty resident artists and five key informant experts were interviewed, including one Bihar Museum official, the director, three artists, and teachers from Mithila Chitrakala Sansthan training institutes. There was also an observation of the Madhubani painting exhibited at the Bihar Museum, work done by student artists from Mithila Chitrakala Sansthan training institutes, and mentees mentored resident artists. The study reveals that living spaces are transforming in the Madhubani area, from kutcha to pucca houses. However, the cultural utilisation of the space of Madhubani painting is mainly seen in pucca houses. They still do Kohbar painting, decorate the courtyard for a wedding ceremony, decorate a house where they perform puja, and have a painting of their god for worship purposes; the reference is made to the god Ardhnarishwara. They have adapted their cultural utilisation of the space of Madhubani painting in pucca houses. The study reveals that the only change that has happened concerns the painting techniques and materials used. They no longer use colours derived from natural pigments from plants, animal dung, and rice paste; instead, they use artificial and acrylic colours. In addition, they no longer use cow dung as the house wall base; now, they can use any colour.
‘Water inundation’ is a phenomenological reality of aqueous terrains, such as river deltas, estuaries, floodplains, wetlands, marshes, and swamps. Since ancient Greek and Roman times, the practice of drain-and-fill and the resulting water management infrastructure have continuously drained these aqueous terrains, rejecting their fluidity. The practice continued through the medieval times, and later, through the European colonisation, and reached different parts of the globe. The Modern industrial capitalist culture observed this practice as a foundational infrastructure for establishing and expanding their cities in aqueous contexts. Such a denial has resulted in a substantial loss of these rich, bio-diverse ecosystems and in environmental degradation. Inquiring from a nature-culture perspective and taking a historical overview through a comprehensive literature review, this paper highlights four crucial aspects contributing to the legitimisation of the drain-and-fill practice and the imagining, design and planning of the water management infrastructure: firstly, the cultural pejoration of aqueous terrains and people associated with them; secondly, the imagining of cities as the antithesis of nature; thirdly, the lived experiences mediated through the preference for dry culture; fourthly, the traditional geographical concept of land and water and tools for surveying and map-making consolidated the first three aspects. For the sustainable design and planning of water management infrastructure, it is imperative to be aware of these four aspects, their dynamism in the process of imagining, and the mediating role they offer to the water management infrastructure. In today’s challenging times of the ecological crisis and sea-level rise, this will potentially leverage a newer imagining of human habitation in aqueous terrains.
This study seeks to map the impact of human activities in the wine-growing areas of Serbia by developing a Human Influence Index (HII), which takes into account the degree of protection of cultural heritage according to the Law on Cultural Assets. By comparing the HII with categories of cultural heritage protection, the goal is to identify subregions where cultural heritage protection needs to be increased, especially in areas with high human impact. The methodology is based on the analysis of several geographically relevant factors, including population density, land use changes, infrastructure access, and light pollution, in order to create a comprehensive depiction of human impact. By linking this with the existing legislation, the aim is to identify the discrepancies between the formal protection of cultural assets and their real vulnerability, with a view to improving the protection and preservation of wine-growing heritage. The urbanization factor has contributed much to the distortion of cultural heritage in the wine-growing areas of Serbia, and partial differences exist according to zones with regard to preserving cultural sites. In this regard, the results of research underpin the necessity to apply protectionist strategies in view of the influence of human impact on the territory. The green zone, with monasteries of exceptional significance, requires a balance between natural and cultural heritage, while the red zone is more susceptible to urbanization and requires careful urban planning not to jeopardize the cultural assets. Attention ought to further focus on research which uses modern technology in their use of data, and most specifically research about developing methodologies related to the insertion of protective zones into urbanistic plans in order for long-term safeguarding of the wine-growing cultural heritage of Serbia to become certain.
