This paper analyzes the spatial transformation of small and medium-sized cities in the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan within the context of post-Soviet urbanization and institutional restructuring. The study employs an interdisciplinary methodology combining remote sensing, GIS analysis, the calculation of morphometric indices (UEI, CI, FC, etc.), and clustering of urbanization trajectories. Based on satellite data and official statistics, four distinct models of spatial development are identified: agglomerative growth, compact expansion, fragmented development, and stagnation. The findings reveal a high degree of morphological and functional differentiation among cities, reflecting uneven infrastructure access, institutional inertia, and demographic polarization. Particular attention is paid to vulnerable settlements exhibiting depopulation and spatial fragmentation. The study concludes with scenario modeling of urban dynamics through 2035 and provides recommendations for adaptive planning aimed at sustainability and territorial equity. The results may serve as a foundation for the formulation of sub-regional strategies and indicative models for managing urban growth in peripheral regions of Central Asia.
Sergeyeva et al. (Wed,) studied this question.