Discovering patterns in the topography of existing settlements: the case of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route

It is important to recognize the influence of terrain characteristics on the spatial distribution of settlements as it can aid policymakers in sustainable urban planning. Landscape characteristics influence the decision of new settlements as well as the decision-making process related to existing settlement density. The surrounding environment influences human activities, and this can be examined with the help of research targeting the landscape characteristics and their association with settlements. In this research, eight topographical factors, namely, elevation, slope, aspect, incision depth, surface roughness, curvature, and standard deviation of elevation, were analyzed using GIS along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route to assess the importance of these topographical factors regarding the settlement intensity. The idea of Distributive Entropy (DE) has been utilized to examine the topographical factors based on the extent of settlement distribution as the physical area characteristics directly affect the settlement dissemination. The quantitative analysis of DE yields higher and lower values and varies throughout the study area. The results showed that the settlements are centered mainly on low elevations and low slopes, especially in valleys. Results also showed that a sufficient amount of the study area is considered suitable for settlement dissemination and the unsuitable area is relatively less. Future settlement plans and schemes can use the outcomes of this study to transform the development and expansion into a more sustainable, controlled, and pro-environment.