The Impact of Transportation on the Direction of Growth Manufacturing Industries in Sulaymaniyah Governorate

Abstract

Given the pivotal importance of transportation networks and the researchers' observation of existing logistical constraints as significant barriers to industrial evolution within the governorate, this study was initiated to investigate the impact of transportation on the basic metals industry in Sulaymaniyah Governorate. The research employs a geographical analysis methodology, integrating primary data collection from diverse sources with spatial analysis tools, including the Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and quantitative statistical analysis. The spatial scope of the study is delimited by the administrative boundaries of Sulaymaniyah Governorate—one of the key provinces in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Geographically, it is situated in northeastern Iraq and southeastern KRI, bordered to the east by the Islamic Republic of Iran, to the west by Kirkuk Governorate, to the northeast by the Raparin Administration, and to the northwest by Erbil Governorate.

As transportation infrastructure is a foundational pillar in all industrial location theories, it represents an inherent dimension of this study. In Sulaymaniyah, the movement of raw materials, finished products, and industrial services relies exclusively on a road network spanning 5,551 km. The basic metals industry serves as a strategic backbone for various industrial and developmental projects, encompassing diverse products essential to daily life. The study identifies ten industrial units distributed across two districts: Sulaymaniyah Center (60%) and Bazian (40%). Notably, the labor force in the Bazian district accounts for 60.43% of the total employment in this sector, compared to 39.57% in the Sulaymaniyah Center. Furthermore, Bazian dominates the economic landscape, attracting 95.1% of the total capital investment, while Sulaymaniyah Center accounts for only 4.9%.

Spatial distribution analysis relative to transport routes reveals that 90% of the industrial units are strategically located along primary arterial roads, while only 10% (one unit) is situated on a secondary road. Quantitative assessment of the road network density indicates a ratio of 14.816 km per 1,000 km², a figure significantly lower than the international benchmark of 105 km per 1,000 km². Similarly, the population-based road density (206.663 km per 10,000 inhabitants) remains well below global standards. The application of the road detouring index (curvature) demonstrates a lack of straight transit routes, leading to reduced vehicular speeds and operational inefficiencies. Additionally, the passage of heavy-duty transport through urban and rural settlements—compounded by traffic-calming measures such as speed bumps—drastically reduces average speeds to 30–40 km/h. These factors collectively result in prolonged transit times, increased fuel consumption, and higher overall logistics costs, thereby hindering the competitive efficiency of the industrial sector.