Street-network Sprawl in Okom, Nigeria

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.

Okom: city in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria

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 Okom, Nigeria on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Okom as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.19, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 2.07, 2.14, 2.02 and 4.26. Disconnectivity in street construction in Okom follows a zig-zag trend. In 1991-2000, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 2001-2014.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Okom spans a total of 43 kilometers. The period with the greatest volume of street construction was 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 2.14, which is relatively 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 2.07, 2.07, 2.04 and 2.19. Disconnectivity in Okom's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1991-2000, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 2001-2014.

Okom and Akwa Ibom do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Okom followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Akwa Ibom peaked in 1991-2000.

How do development practices in Okom fare in comparison to others in Akwa Ibom? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Okom was the 6th-most disconnected out of the 21 cities in Akwa Ibom. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Okom ranked 6th in 1975, 7th in 1976-1990, 8th in 1991-2000 and 6th in 2001-2014.

Okom and Nigeria do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Okom followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Nigeria peaked in 1991-2000.

How do development practices in Okom fare in comparison to others in Nigeria? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Okom was the 113th-most disconnected out of the 411 cities in Nigeria. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Nigeria, street construction in Okom has become more connected. Okom ranked 85th in 1975, 161st in 1976-1990, 160th in 1991-2000 and 113th in 2001-2014.

Okom and Akwa Ibom do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Okom followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Akwa Ibom rose steadily.

To date, Okom is the 11th-most disconnected out of the 21 cities in Akwa Ibom. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Akwa Ibom, the street network in Okom has become more connected. Okom ranked 6th in 1975, 8th in 1976-1990, 9th in 1991-2000 and 11th in 2001-2014.

Okom and Nigeria do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Okom followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Nigeria rose steadily.

To date, Okom is the 183rd-most disconnected out of the 411 cities in Nigeria. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Nigeria, the street network in Okom has become more connected. Okom ranked 85th in 1975, 150th in 1976-1990, 161st in 1991-2000 and 183rd in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Okom had a built-up area of 0.14 square kilometers, and a population of 85264 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: