Study and analysis of urban resilience indicators in Samarra

Abstract:

The present study aims to investigate and analyze the status of urban resilience in the city of Samarra, Iraq, with an emphasis on four main indicators: economic, social, physical-infrastructural, and institutional. This study is descriptive-analytical in nature and its statistical population consists of the citizens of Samarra, who, according to the latest official census in 2025, have a population of approximately 307,560 people The sample size was determined using the Cochran formula as 384 people, and finally 400 questionnaires were completed using simple random sampling. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire that was designed based on theoretical foundations and indicators extracted from the research literature and was arranged in the form of a five-point Likert scale. The validity of the instrument was confirmed through content validity and with the opinions of experts in the field of urban planning and crisis management. The reliability of the questionnaire was also calculated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, the results of which indicated the desirable internal consistency and reliability of the measurement tool. Descriptive findings showed that the average of the economic index (2.6085), the physical-structural index (2.7093) and the institutional index (2.4738) are below the average (3), while the social index with an average (3.0635) is evaluated at an average to high level. These findings indicate that urban resilience in Samarra is in an unfavorable state in economic, physical, and institutional dimensions, and only the social dimension is in a relatively better state. The results of the one-sample t-test also showed that the difference between the observed means and the criterion value in all indicators is statistically significant (significance level less than 0.05), so that the overall state of urban resilience in Samarra, except for the social index (this index is at an average level), is evaluated as lower than the desired level. Overall, the results of the research show that the urban resilience structure in Samarra operates more in a fragmented and non-integrated manner and does not have the necessary coherence and efficiency in the face of crises. Accordingly, strengthening economic infrastructure, improving the physical-infrastructural system, promoting institutional efficiency, and increasing social solidarity are suggested as key strategies for promoting urban resilience in this city