Tarım alanlarının amaç dışı kullanımında ilk sırayı şehirleşme yada şehirlerin alansal büyümesi yer almaktadır. Verimli araziler üzerinde kurulu şehirlerde sanayileşmenin artması şehirlere ve dolayısıyla verimli tarım arazilerine yönelik yoğun göç olmasına neden olmuştur. Bu yoğun göçe bağlı olarak oluşan hızlı nüfus artışı, konut ihtiyacını artırmış, bu durum doğrudan verimli tarım arazilerinin geri dönüşümü olmayacak bir şekilde elden çıkmasına sebep olmuştur. Şanlıurfa şehri, GAP'ın sağladığı gelişmelere paralel olarak, çevresindeki kırsal alanlar için bir cazibe merkezi durumuna gelmiştir. Kırsal kesimin itici, şehirlerin çekici ve her ikisi arasında yer alan iletici güçlerin etkisiyle, Şanlıurfa özellikle çevresindeki kırsal kesimden ve kendisine bağlı ilçe merkezlerinden önemli miktarlarda nüfus çekmiştir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, 1988 ve 2010 yılları arasında Şanlıurfa şehrinin alansal gelişimini belli dönemlere ayırarak şehrin çevresindeki tarım alanlarına etkisini (Arazi kullanım değişimleri) ortaya koymaktır. Bu çalışmadaki yöntem ve metod, şehirsel alan 1988-1993-20002005-2010 yıllarına ait uydu görüntülerinden faydalanılarak Arc GİS ortamına aktarılmıştır. Şehirsel alanın ortaya koyduğu yerleşme profili, belirlenmiş olan tarihler baz alınarak çizilmiş ve bu tarihler arasındaki dönemler sayısal analizlere tabi tutulmuştur. Yapılan analizlerin sonuçları doğrultusunda, Şanlıurfa şehrinin (1988'den 1993'e, 1993'ten 2000'e, 2000'den 2005'e, 2005'ten de 2010'a kadar olan dönemlerde) alansal büyümesi ortaya konulmuştur. Alansal büyümenin en belirgin olduğu yönü ve bu durumun ortaya çıkartabileceği sonuçları değerlendirmek amacıyla, anayönler göz önünde bulundurularak 'Yönsel Büyüme Analizi' yapılmıştır. Bu araştırma sonucunda Şanlıurfa şehrinin yıllık ortalama 126 hektar şehirsel yapılaşmaya bağlı olarak geliştiği ve bu şehirsel yapılaşmanın 1988'den 2010 yılına kadar artarak geldiği ortaya çıkmıştır. Şanlıurfa'nın şehirsel gelişim yönünün büyük bir kısmının ne yazık ki I.ve II. sınıf tarım arazileri (Doğu ve Kuzeydoğu) üzerine doğru ilerlediği de harita ve tablolarla ortaya konmuştur

The occupied land within the large area neighboring Şanlıurfa appears to be first and second rate cultivable land (Figure 1). Particularly with the post GAP period, Şanlıurfa has enjoyed industrial and commercial progress. Unfortunately, from east, west, south and north she is surrounded by commercial, industrial and public buildings occupying fertile lands to feed us. (Benek, 2005: 127). For many years, irrigable, first rate agricultural land has been zoned for construction, which turned it into an industrial and a residential area as well. Practices of urban construction in Şanlıurfa on high-quality agricultural land have been causing agricultural cultivation to be moved to poorer-quality land. (Figure 1). Urbanization includes practices targeting industry, housing, tourism, commerce and transportation. Among the factors determining the directions and routes for an expansion of a city, highways crossing through or near settlements, industry founded within this highway net, tourism, mining, public investments (such as airports, bus stations, university campuses, medical centers, commercial zones, gas stations, roadhouses, and TOKİ –Provision of Social Housing in Turkey- housing projects) are the most prominent factors. (Keleş, 1996: 415). Thereby, these factors appear to be partaking in the fast occupation of agricultural land (Sönmez, 1969:148). Industrial and commercial areas, which accelerate urbanization particularly in size, have been mostly founded on fertile agricultural land (Aksoy ve Özsoy, 2007: 321). Housing that soon appears around industrial regions has been implemented sadly on areas mostly considered top-quality agricultural land. (Çavuş, 2007:146). Highways crossing through fertile agricultural land, due to their appealing nature for industry and housing, make the land more desirable for potential investments (Kızılelma, vd. 2013: 33). Industry and housing projects are preferred to be founded on agricultural land for these areas tend to be flat, which makes them more convenient for transportation and easy to provide with infrastructure facilities. In Şanlıurfa, fast expansion encouraged by these reasons is on such a level that it threatens the proportion and even existence of fertile agricultural areas unless necessary precautions are taken (Aydoğdu, vd. 2009). On determining Şanlıurfa and her surroundings as an area to study, accordingly with the expansion of the city, destruction of farm lands on eastern axis on account of both housing and industrial activities has been a key factor. On the other hand, in terms of sustainability, haphazardly and inconveniently opening the land located on the southern part of the city within the districts of Sırrın, Şehçoban, Konuklu, and Yenice in the South and Ulubağ in the East for settlement have a special importance for selecting the area in question. Besides, even though being a good example of site selection in terms of land-use, the housing project implemented by TOKI in Akabe neighborhood is, in terms of transportation, isolated from the city for being on a higher altitude than the other districts of the city and being connected to the city singlehandedly through Gaziantep Road, which is a slopped and crooked highway. For all these reasons, Akabe TOKI fails to be a center of attraction. Therefore; the city has not expanded on the west axis as planned and unfortunately has continued to expand towards Harran Plain and Karaköprü on the north. These problems seem to be worth mentioning regarding the selection of Şanlıurfa and her surroundings as a region to study. The city of Şanlıurfa, accordingly with innovations invited by GAP, has turned out to be a center of attraction for the surrounding country. With the unattractive powers of the country and attractive ones of the city and the conductive powers between each, Şanlıurfa attracted a significant amount of migration from surrounding regions, particularly from the town centers within its borders. This study aims to determine the effects of spatial expansion of Şanlıurfa between the years 1988 and 2010, which will be divided into certain periods, on agricultural land surrounding the city (land-use change). The settlement profile created by urban area has been drawn based on the fixed dates and the periods in between these dates have been put to numerical analysis. In accordance with the finished analysis, the spatial expansion of Şanlıurfa (during the periods from 1988 to 1993, from 1993 to 2000, from 2000 to 2005, from 2005 to 2010) has been indicated. To determine the direction that has been exposed to the largest amount of expansion and to assess the possible outcomes of this expansion, ‘Directional Expansion Analysis’ which is based on the primary directions has been carried out. The study concludes that Şanlıurfa has experienced development based on 126-acre-urban construction in average each year; and it is pointed out that this urban construction gradually increased from 1988 to 2010 (Graphic 1). The size of the city which was 1141 acres in 1988 expanded into a 3790-acre area by the end of the year 2010. Through maps and tables, it is proved that Şanlıurfa, which experienced a growth of three and a half times of her size in a 22-year period, mostly expanded into a direction (East and North) covering first and second rate agricultural land with a very high fertility rate which is why; it should absolutely be used for agricultural purposes only. As a consequence of rapid increase in population and industrial activity, the land-use for non-agricultural purposes concentrates particularly on main transportation corridors such as Şanlıurfa - Mardin, Şanlıurfa –Diyarbakır and Şanlıurfa- Akçakale. The land between Şanlıurfa - Mardin and Şanlıurfa- Akçakale main highway networks (Harran Plain) seems to have a very weak ground stability and a high ground water level and a risk for floods besides having a great potential for agricultural use. Therefore, it seems to be fairly inconvenient to use the land for residential purposes and for erecting tall urban buildings. Construction activities on the land between Şanlıurfa –Mardin and Şanlıurfa- Akçakale highway networks should be ceased as soon as possible. In the post 2000 period the city has expanded towards Karaköprü village. Since Karaköprü is a polje formed as a consequence of subsidence and dissolution, the fertile land used to be covered with vineyards and pistachio trees. Maşuk, east to Karaköprü, and Yağlıca Hills, west to Karaköprü should have been opened to settlement instead of Karaköprü, which caused valuable farm land to be destroyed. Opening Konuklu Village and southern parts of Harran Plain to settlement in 2013 poses a great amount of threat for the first rate agricultural land. The whole northern part of the plain has been occupied by public building projects such as a new wholesale market, Şire market, a fire station, GAP Arena Stadium, etc. on the area in question,. By opening Maşuk village located in the west of ŞanlıurfaDiyarbakır highway to settlement, the destruction of pistachio tree gardens, which yield a great amount after the age of 40, has been triggered. By extending Şanlıurfa – Adıyaman highway, the cement plant on the road side and its surroundings have been declared commercial zone by Karaköprü Municipality, which indicates the near destruction of pistachio trees in the region. Considering the area where Şanlıurfa is located, there seems to be no problem with extending the city in the western direction in terms of land-use. This region is a plateau located on Şanlıurfa – Gaziantep road with no agricultural importance attached. For having a high altitude, the region tends to be cool in summers and for being located on parent rock it has a solid foundation. Furthermore, since the region is inexpensive, the housing projects to be implemented there will be less costly, which will cause normalization on exorbitant housing prices in Şanlıurfa. Constructing alternative main access roads connecting Akabe TOKI to the city centre in addition to the only road in the area, Şanlıurfa – Gaziantep road, which is risky and crooked, will ensure an expansion in the western direction. Additionally, many projects regarding the sloping land in the western part of the city should be prepared, which will embellish the city considering the ugly view seen on the horizon which is the slums of the city with two-storey shanties.