Explaining the process of population changes in rural areas to provide sustainable population strategies (case study: Rasht city, Iran)

Purpose: Migration from the village to the city is considered a common phenomenon. Although many studies have investigated the consequences of migration phenomenon in villages (origin) and cities (destination), there are not many studies about maintaining the population in rural areas. This study aimed to explain the process of population changes in rural areas to provide sustainable population strategies for Rasht County in Iran.Methods: This research is an applied and descriptive-analytical study in terms of its purpose and method. Document reviews, interviews, and questionnaires were used to collect data. SWOT and AHP models were used to analyze the data.Results: The most appropriate strategy for maintaining the population in the rural settlements of Rasht County is to provide infrastructure for economic development and job creation in the villages, and designing and implementing projects with these goals can be significant.Conclusion: Unsustainability of the rural areas in Rasht County have undermined the current capabilities of this region.  Therefore, it can be concluded that the decrease in population is consistent with weak infrastructure and lower production potential.