Geographical analysis of the manifestations of visual pollution in Semel, Duhok Governorate – Iraq

Abstract

Visual pollution is one of the most significant contemporary environmental pollution patterns that accompanies humans in their daily lives and directly impacts the components of the urban environment, whether from an architectural, social, or environmental perspective. Stemming from this importance, this study analyzed the manifestations of visual pollution in Semel City and its environmental effects. The study relied on fieldwork to uncover the problem of visual pollution, which included distributing a questionnaire to residents of the area in the form of a random sample totaling 200 questionnaires. The fieldwork considered the economic, social, and urban disparities of these neighborhoods.

This study also adopted three main manifestations to identify the problem of visual pollution in Semel City: (urban pattern, streetscape, and environmental appearance). These manifestations were based on 11 indicators to assess the level of visual pollution in Semel City, using the standard of public taste as the basis for evaluation. The current study concluded that the problem is of significant magnitude, casting its shadow over Semel City, as hardly any of its residential neighborhoods are free from a particular manifestation of visual pollution. Therefore, this study represents the cornerstone for addressing the problem of visual pollution in Semel City.