EXAMINING THE EVOLUTION OF URBAN HIERARCHY IN THE PROVINCE OF BATNA: USING ZIPF’S RANK-SIZE RULE

Abstract

This article aims to investigate the balance of the urban network in the province of Batna, one of the major provinces in eastern Algeria. The study focuses on the population component and employs statistical and mathematical methods, including Zipf's rank-size rule and indices that assess urban dominance, such as Jefferson and Stewart's indices. The analysis reveals that the urban network in the province has undergone significant changes across various censuses, with a notable acceleration in population growth. The population increased from 151025 inhabitants in 1966 to approximately 1506000 inhabitants in 2023.

The distribution of urban centers in the Batna province is characterized by symmetry; however, the actual population sizes of these centers do not align with this symmetry. Some centers fall below the ideal line of the Zipf curve, while others deviate significantly from it. Furthermore, the Batna urban system exhibits a phenomenon known as macrocephaly, where one city dominates as the primary center of the province. Consequently, this dominance has resulted in an unbalanced urban system, highlighting the need for a more equitable redistribution of population sizes among urban centers.