Comparisons
Hirat vs. the other two most closely populated regions in Afghanistan: Kandahar and Faryab
Hirat in context: Street-network sprawl of new development
The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Hirat was at its lowest in 1991-2005. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Hirat, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Herat, Shindand and Guzarah. Out of the three cities, Shindand and Guzarah do not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Shindand was at its lowest in 1976-1990. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Guzarah followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease.
How do development practices in Hirat fare in comparison to others in Afghanistan? Most recently in 2006-2020, street construction in Hirat was the 8th-most disconnected out of the 28 regions in Afghanistan. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in Afghanistan, street construction in Hirat has become more disconnected. Hirat ranked 9th in 1975, 5th in 1976-1990, 8th in 1991-2005 and 8th in 2006-2020.
Hirat in context: Aggregate street-network sprawl
As of 2020, the city with the most disconnected street network in Hirat is Shindand with an SNDi of 4.11, which is sprawly. Conversely, the most connected city is Bandabad with an SNDi of 2.51, which is relatively well-connected. See trends for these cities: Bandabad, Shindand
The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Hirat was at its lowest in 1991-2005. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Hirat, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Herat, Shindand and Guzarah. Out of the three cities, Shindand and Guzarah do not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Shindand was at its lowest in 1976-1990. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Guzarah followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease.
To date, Hirat is the 9th-most disconnected out of the 28 regions in Afghanistan. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Hirat ranked 9th in 1975, 9th in 1976-1990, 10th in 1991-2005 and 9th in 2006-2020.