One of the most important strategies for spatial decentralization in order to promote balanced urban system and reduce regional inequalities is strengthening secondary
cities and their capacities.
This policy is based upon these hypothesis that secondary cities attract migrants, reduce population pressures on metropolises, and in the process of spatial development play an important role affecting their peripheral areas.
This study attempts to explain some of the roles of these cities. For this end, hypothesis about establishment of a meaningful relation between strengthening of physical, economical and social foundations of secondary cities, and reducing urban centralization and that of economic prosperity for suburb residences, has been examined.
Confirmation of hypothesis set fort in this study, represents the importance of secondary city role in the process of regional spatial development, and increase the validity of strategy discussed as a simple tool for policy making in directing urbanization trend, at least in the region under study.
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