An Analysis of the Impact of the Management Reformation Strategies of Border Markets in Improving the Socio-Economic Development of Surrounding Rural Areas(Case Study: Khaw & Mirabad District in Marivan County)

Kurdistan province is one of the frontier border provinces of the country with an abundant rural population. Natural and geographical conditions of villages, long distance from the center, and the lack of economic diversification have caused harsh living conditions for border villages of the province. The study area is rural areas in Khawmirabad region in the western part of Marivan city which is one of the 10 cities of Kurdistan province onborder with Iraq. This neighboring with Iraq, geographical situation, cultural and social likeness with Iraqi people in the other side of the border and an enormous capacity of Iraq for cross-border trade, has created a favorable situation for establishing border market. Considering these facts, the border market was established in 2009, primarily to improve the economic situation in the villages around the region of Marivan. Field work observations, interviews with local people as well as research findings of Dastvar and Veysi (2016), and Manoochehri and Tayyebniya (2016) related to the favorable impact of socio-economic performance of the border market showed that this market has not had optimum performance and effectiveness, and that the local people are not satisfiedwith it. Reflecting this situation led the management of the border market which is administered by border office of Mariwan city to do some reformations to improve the performance and socio-economic impact of border market. Thus, the main objective of this study is to analyze the socio-economic impact and efficiency of border market due to management reforms which has been done for effective managing and running this market.