Street-network Sprawl in Khenchela, Algeria

What is Street-network sprawl?

Street-network Sprawl is a way to measure urban sprawl, worldwide, through the connectedness of the streets. Less sprawl means more connected, more walkable streets. Well-connected streets – like New York City’s grid – are more walkable and can be served by public transit.

The street network is permanent, and its connectivity affects the livability and environmental footprint of cities for decades and centuries to come. In places with more connected streets, residents drive less and walk more. A well-connected street network is associated with better outcomes for health, the environment, sustainable consumption, social integration, and equity.

We can quantify how connected street networks are with the Street Network Disconnectedness Index (SNDi).

SNDi -- our measure of street-network sprawl (disconnectedness)

The SNDi is a comprehensive measurement of “sprawl”. It captures:

A higher SNDi means less-connected streets – i.e., more sprawl. For the 10137 cities in our dataset, the average SNDi is 2.25, with half of the cities' SNDis falling between 1.08 and 3.25.

More information on the sprawl index can be found in these research papers:

To see the state of street-network sprawl across the globe, visit the sprawlmap.

Khenchela: city in Algeria

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 Khenchela, Algeria on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Khenchela as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 0.58, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.17, 0.39, 0.75 and 0.25. Disconnectivity in street construction in Khenchela follows a zig-zag trend. In 2001-2014, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 1975.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Khenchela spans a total of 332 kilometers. The period with the greatest volume of street construction was 2001-2014. These roads have an SNDi of 0.25, which is very well-connected.

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 1.17, 0.66, 0.7 and 0.58. Disconnectivity in Khenchela's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 2001-2014, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 1975.

Khenchela and Khenchela do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Khenchela followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease, while the SNDi of street constructions in Khenchela was at its lowest in 1976-1990.

How do development practices in Khenchela fare in comparison to others in Khenchela? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Khenchela was the 1st-most disconnected out of the 1 cities in Khenchela. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Khenchela ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

Khenchela and Algeria do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Khenchela followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease, while the SNDi of street constructions in Algeria was at its lowest in 1976-1990.

How do development practices in Khenchela fare in comparison to others in Algeria? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Khenchela was the 91st-most disconnected out of the 95 cities in Algeria. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Algeria, street construction in Khenchela has become more connected. Khenchela ranked 41st in 1975, 77th in 1976-1990, 72nd in 1991-2000 and 91st in 2001-2014.

Khenchela and Khenchela do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Khenchela followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease, while the SNDi of street constructions in Khenchela was at its lowest in 1976-1990.

To date, Khenchela is the 1st-most disconnected out of the 1 cities in Khenchela. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Khenchela ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

Khenchela and Algeria do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Khenchela followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease, while the SNDi of street constructions in Algeria was at its lowest in 1976-1990.

To date, Khenchela is the 80th-most disconnected out of the 95 cities in Algeria. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Algeria, the street network in Khenchela has become more connected. Khenchela ranked 41st in 1975, 71st in 1976-1990, 70th in 1991-2000 and 80th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Khenchela had a built-up area of 11.1 square kilometers, and a population of 136926 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: