Ar Riyad: region in Saudi Arabia
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 Ar Riyad, Saudi Arabia on the sprawlmap
Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Ar Riyad as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.31, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness.
Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.3, 2.33, 3.09 and 2.97. Street construction in Ar Riyad increased in disconnectivity initially but has since improved. The streets constructed in 1991-2000 were the most disconnected.
Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Ar Riyad spans a total of 35406 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 2.33, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness.
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 1.3, 2.1, 2.21 and 2.31. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Ar Riyad has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.8 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.09.
The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Ar Riyad peaked in 1991-2000. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Ar Riyad, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Riyadh, Al-Kharj and Wadi Ad Dawasir. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Riyadh rose steadily. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Al-Kharj followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Wadi Ad Dawasir followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease.
How do development practices in Ar Riyad fare in comparison to others in Saudi Arabia? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Ar Riyad was the 3rd-most disconnected out of the 12 regions in Saudi Arabia. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in Saudi Arabia, street construction in Ar Riyad has become more disconnected. Ar Riyad ranked 11th in 1975, 4th in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 3rd in 2001-2014.
As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Ar Riyad is Wadi Ad Dawasir with an SNDi of 2.18, which is relatively well-connected. Conversely, the most connected city is Al-Kharj with an SNDi of 0.65, which is relatively well-connected. See trends for these cities: Al-Kharj, Wadi Ad Dawasir
The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Ar Riyad rose steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Ar Riyad, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Riyadh, Al-Kharj and Wadi Ad Dawasir. Out of the three cities, Al-Kharj and Wadi Ad Dawasir do not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Al-Kharj was at its lowest in 1976-1990. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Wadi Ad Dawasir followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease.
To date, Ar Riyad is the 8th-most disconnected out of the 12 regions in Saudi Arabia. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in Saudi Arabia, the street network in Ar Riyad has become more disconnected. Ar Riyad ranked 11th in 1975, 6th in 1976-1990, 7th in 1991-2000 and 8th in 2001-2014.