الفهرس 
Research Background and RationaleOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The notion of urbanization requires a revisit because its definition is based on the population factor solely. However, urbanization is a rather complex phenomenon that includes many domains incorporating together; thus it is considered rather comprehensive. To date, the level of comprehensive urbanization in Egypt is yet to be evaluated. Moreover, the current method for classifying administrative divisions into urban and rural in Egypt is considered inefficient and unreliable. This misleading classification results in inequitable distribution of investments across the nation. Accordingly, the current study pursues the redefinition of urbanization and suggests a new method for reclassifying Egyptian settlements into urban and rural. This is to be done by constructing a composite index (CI) that ranges from 0-1. The proposed threshold value is 0.5 where the lower values are considered rural and the higher are inferred to as urban. The analytical study is done on 6 governorates and the data entry for the 34 utilized indicators is done on the “sheiakha” level which is the smallest administrative unit to collect data upon. The CI delivered values ranging from 0.27 to 0.76 with a cutoff value of 0.56. Furthermore, through GIS spatial analysis of the index outcomes, selected governorates are classified ranging from least to highly urbanized settlements. Spatial analysis shows that variables affecting urbanization vary spatially between selected governorates. Thus, the study concluded that each governorate has its own unique geographical character that necessitates addressing on distinct bases. Moreover, the study identified areas in dire need of development in selected governorates, and the exact needed type of intervention for different settlements is also pinpointed.