Street-network Sprawl in Termez, Uzbekistan

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.

Termez: city in Surkhandarya, Uzbekistan

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 Termez, Uzbekistan on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Termez as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 1.35, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.39, 1.24, 1.51 and 2.61. The disconnectivity of new streets constructed in Termez fell, then rose. In 1976-1990, new street layouts were the most connected.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Termez spans a total of 191 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed prior to 1975. These roads have an SNDi of 1.39, 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 1.39, 1.31, 1.3 and 1.35. The SNDi of the aggregate street network in fell at first, but Termez has worsened in disconnectivity since 2000.

Termez and Surkhandarya follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi for both of these was at its lowest in 1976-1990.

How do development practices in Termez fare in comparison to others in Surkhandarya? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Termez was the 3rd-most disconnected out of the 5 cities in Surkhandarya. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Termez ranked 3rd in 1975, 4th in 1976-1990, 3rd in 1991-2000 and 3rd in 2001-2014.

Termez and Uzbekistan follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi for both of these was at its lowest in 1976-1990.

How do development practices in Termez fare in comparison to others in Uzbekistan? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Termez was the 34th-most disconnected out of the 56 cities in Uzbekistan. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Uzbekistan, street construction in Termez has become more disconnected. Termez ranked 50th in 1975, 50th in 1976-1990, 40th in 1991-2000 and 34th in 2001-2014.

Termez and Surkhandarya do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Termez was at its lowest in 1991-2000, while the SNDi of street constructions in Surkhandarya followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease.

To date, Termez is the 4th-most disconnected out of the 5 cities in Surkhandarya. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Surkhandarya, the street network in Termez has become more connected. Termez ranked 3rd in 1975, 4th in 1976-1990, 4th in 1991-2000 and 4th in 2001-2014.

Termez and Uzbekistan do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Termez was at its lowest in 1991-2000, while the SNDi of street constructions in Uzbekistan was at its lowest in 1976-1990.

To date, Termez is the 52nd-most disconnected out of the 56 cities in Uzbekistan. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Uzbekistan, the street network in Termez has become more connected. Termez ranked 50th in 1975, 53rd in 1976-1990, 52nd in 1991-2000 and 52nd in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Termez had a built-up area of 29.2 square kilometers, and a population of 242043 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: