Urbanization and its Consequences to the Settlement Carrying Capacity in Ambarawa Urban Area, Semarang Regency

Abstract

Urbanization has become prominent discourse around the world in the last decade. Rapid urbanization will encourage economic growth, but on the other hand, it can be detrimental if it affects the carrying capacity of the environment in supporting settlements. Therefore, development must also ensure the protection of our environment. The Ambarawa is an example of an urban area that continues to experience development and requires land to support its settlements. Therefore, this paper aims to elaborate the extend of urbanization phenomenon and settlement carrying capacity in Ambarawa. Narrative and spatial analysis in a time series are used to explain the urbanization process in the Ambarawa and how it related to the carrying capacity of the area. The result shows that the urbanization that occurred in Ambarawa can be seen from the development of settlements, shifts in economic activity, and also affecting the carrying capacity of settlements. It is predicted that Ambarawa still can accommodate more residential areas, but several sub-districts/villages need more attention because they have exceeded the carrying capacity of their settlements, namely in Bejalen and Pasekan. It is expected that this paper could become a recommendation for future spatial and population planning in the Ambarawa and Semarang Regency.