Urban Livability Toward Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Saravan City

Introduction
Cities are typically defined as densely populated, developed settlements characterized by extensive built environments and active commercial and industrial functions. With the rapid pace of global urbanization and the growing need to assess the performance of urban management systems, research into urban livability—particularly regarding residents’ access to and realization of citizenship rights—has become increasingly significant. Viewing the city as a living organism, it requires vitality and livability to sustain its existence. Livability refers to an urban system that supports the social, economic, physical, and mental well-being of its inhabitants. Core principles underpinning this concept include equity, justice, security, participation, recreation, and empowerment. As a measure of a city’s ability to support residents’ well-being and quality of life, livability is an essential dimension of urban development. It encompasses a broad spectrum of human needs—from basic necessities such as food and safety to higher-order needs like beauty, cultural identity, and a sense of belonging. A comprehensive review of the literature confirms that livability is a complex, multidimensional construct, widely recognized and evaluated through diverse criteria and indicators. Consequently, livable cities can be assessed across social, economic, physical, and environmental dimensions. Livable communities are generally safe, healthy, and inclusive, offering accessible transportation and timely access to schools, workplaces, services, and essential amenities. Although some studies distinguish livability from quality of life, the two concepts are often used interchangeably, as they share many overlapping indicators. In recent decades, urban livability has emerged as a dominant framework in urban planning and development discourse. While interpretations vary, the concept broadly emphasizes urban biosustainability, intergenerational equity, and holistic development across economic, social, physical, and environmental domains.
Saravan, a city in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran, has experienced uneven urban development due to rapid population growth in recent decades. Ethnic tensions have eroded social capital and limited the selection of competent municipal leaders. A weakened sense of place attachment, coupled with limited external attractions, has led to the outmigration of intellectual, economic, and social elites, discouraging investment. The city faces significant challenges in employment, road infrastructure, green space, leisure and recreation, public transportation, income levels, housing, infrastructure, service provision, social cohesion, and environmental quality—issues largely rooted in ineffective urban governance. Development efforts have primarily relied on natural resources, which are themselves under strain due to recurring droughts that have damaged or threaten to destroy key economic foundations. These conditions underscore the urgency of addressing urban livability in Saravan. Therefore, this study aims to measure and analyze urban livability indicators in Saravan to support sustainable development. Specifically, it seeks to answer: Which indicators most significantly influence livability in Saravan? and What is the relative impact of each of these factors?
Methodology
This research is applied in purpose, aiming to measure and evaluate livability indicators in Saravan. It adopts a quantitative, descriptive-analytical design. The target population consists of Saravan’s residents (N = 60,014). Using Cochran’s formula (95% confidence level, 5% margin of error), the sample size was determined as 322 individuals, selected via simple random sampling and surveyed directly. The validity of the livability indicators was confirmed by expert review, and reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (α > 0.7). Indicators span five dimensions: socio-cultural, economic, physical, environmental, and managerial. Data were analyzed using factor analysis in SPSS.
 
Findings
The results identified three key factors influencing urban livability in Saravan.

Factor 1: Dominated by "the performance of urban managers in reducing residents’ cost of living", this factor explains 19.8% of the total variance—the highest contribution.
Factor 2: Highlighted by "ease of road access for people with disabilities", accounts for 1.7% of the variance.
Factor 3: Driven by "accessibility to public services in the city", explains 5.5% of the variance.

 
Discussion and Conclusion
This study employed factor analysis to assess urban livability indicators in Saravan. Each factor was interpreted and labeled based on its most influential items. The findings reveal that urban managers and planners, when operating without strategic vision, are ill-equipped to address contemporary urban challenges. This underscores the growing importance of integrating livability into urban planning to meet societal needs and respond to emerging urban threats. The results align with prior studies by Baig et al. (2019), Nourian et al. (2021), Emdadi et al. (2022), and Zeynali Azim & Karami (2023), reinforcing the relevance of livability as a critical lens for sustainable urban development. The study highlights the need for targeted governance reforms, inclusive planning, and investment in infrastructure and public services to enhance livability and ensure long-term sustainability in marginalized urban contexts like Saravan.