Kandahar: region in Afghanistan
What exactly constitutes the spatial extent of the city? For these aggregations, we used the Global Human Settlement Layer Urban Center Database (GHS-UCDB) to define the boundaries of the city. These cities -- or urban centers -- cover areas that are densely populated and built-up, and so may extend beyond the spatial borders of these cities that we may be familiar with. The GHS area is shaded in blue.
View Kandahar, Afghanistan on the sprawlmap
Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Kandahar as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 5.21, which is highly disconnected.
Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 7.45, 4.96, 4.81 and 2.18. In each period, new street development in Kandahar steadily grows more connected than in the last. This decrease has quickened: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi fell by 2.49 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it fell by just 2.63.
Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Kandahar spans a total of 946 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 7.45, which is highly disconnected.
Effect on the aggregate network: New construction in each period adds to the total stock of streets, but does not change streets that have already been built. Therefore, it has a limited effect on the street network as a whole. The SNDis of the aggregate street network in the respective time periods are 7.45, 7.32, 6.85 and 5.21. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has fallen: the street network in Kandahar has become more connected. This decrease has quickened: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi fell by 0.13 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it fell by just 1.64.
The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Kandahar fell steadily. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Kandahar, we can consider two of its most populous cities: Kandahar and Chaman. Out of the two cities, Chaman does not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Chaman followed a zig-zag trend.
How do development practices in Kandahar fare in comparison to others in Afghanistan? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Kandahar was the 17th-most disconnected out of the 25 regions in Afghanistan. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other regions in Afghanistan, street construction in Kandahar has become more connected. Kandahar ranked 7th in 1975, 4th in 1976-1990, 9th in 1991-2000 and 17th in 2001-2014.
As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Kandahar is Chaman with an SNDi of 12.25, which is highly disconnected. Conversely, the most connected city is Kandahar with an SNDi of 3.59, which is highly disconnected. See trends for these cities: Kandahar, Chaman
The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Kandahar fell steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Kandahar, we can consider two of its most populous cities: Kandahar and Chaman. Out of the two cities, Chaman does not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Chaman followed a zig-zag trend.
To date, Kandahar is the 11th-most disconnected out of the 25 regions in Afghanistan. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other regions in Afghanistan, the street network in Kandahar has become more connected. Kandahar ranked 7th in 1975, 5th in 1976-1990, 6th in 1991-2000 and 11th in 2001-2014.