Title: Understanding the urbanisation process in sub-Saharan Africa: the Mozambican rural towns

Authors: Roberta Nicchia; Corrado Diamantini

Addresses: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Trento, 38100 Trento, Via Mesiano 77, Italy ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Trento, 38100 Trento, Via Mesiano 77, Italy

Abstract: In the last few years, academic research and development programmes have underlined the important role of small towns in Sub-Saharan Africa in promoting the growth of the surrounding rural areas. However, identifying the nature of these urban centres and analysing the relevant effects of transformation they are going through are still unsolved issues. This paper aims to explore both aspects in considering as a case study Sena, a small town situated in rural Mozambique. Field research and direct survey results are used to highlight the peculiar characteristics of this rural town together with some negative effects brought about by radical transformation taking place here. Finally, the paper suggests some key topics to be considered within spatial planning in similar contexts.

Keywords: urbanisation; small towns; rural towns; sustainable urban planning; sub-Saharan Africa; SSA; Mozambique; Caia district; rural areas; radical transformation; spatial planning; sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSS.2013.055887

International Journal of Society Systems Science, 2013 Vol.5 No.3, pp.229 - 244

Published online: 30 Apr 2014 *

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