English abstract
The study of land use patterns in cities is the basis of urban planning, where urban planning depends on such study to improve the status quo of land uses. This study aims at monitoring the changes of land uses in Seeb between 2005 and 2010, and the future growth of these uses as well. Seeb has occupied the first rank in Oman in terms of population, as its size is (302 992) capita, according to the results of the 2010 census, which constitutes (10.92%) of the total population of the Sultanate of Oman. The student utilized GIS to create land use maps for 2005, 2010, and future growth as well using satellite images (Ikonos 2005, and Worldview 2010), field studies, and detailed plans of Seeb. There are many important findings from this study such as: services land uses records the largest share in Seeb, where its area formed (42.60%) in 2005, and (42.82%) in 2010, of the total developed area of Seeb. The residential land use is the second-largest use in Seeb where it composes (23.79%) in 2005 and increased to (27.47%) in 2010. Agricultural land use has decreased from (5.18%) in 2005, to (1.70%) in 2010. The industrial land use was (5.14%) in 2005, and reached (6.68%) in 2010. Moreover, the study found that the proportion of developed area for the year 2005 amounted to (37.29%) of planned area (193.71 km2), and it grown up to (50.09%) in 2010. The study came out with several recommendations and proposals to improve the situation of land uses in Seeb which must be taken into account by decision-makers in urban planning, such as the reorganization of the use of quarries, and stores and allocation of spaces for such uses far from population centers, taking into account future expansion. The study also recommends the creation of a uniform system for land-use patterns in the Sultanate, and the preparation of land uses maps for all "walayats" and provinces with regular update, to detect land uses changes and the direction of its growth.
