Assessment of Urban Expansion in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis of Ghana Using Remote-Sensing and GIS Approach

Type Journal Article - International Journal of Science and Technology
Title Assessment of Urban Expansion in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis of Ghana Using Remote-Sensing and GIS Approach
Author(s)
Volume 3
Issue 8
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2014
URL http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eric_Stemn/publication/271500193_Assessment_of_Urban_Expansion_i​n_the_Sekondi-Takoradi_Metropolis_of_Ghana_Using_Remote-Sensing_and_GIS_Approach/links/54c8f5580cf23​8bb7d0ea7eb.pdf
Abstract
The conversion of other types of land to uses concerned chiefly with population growth and increase in economic activities is the main cause of land use land cover changes in human history. Urban expansion has therefore been identified as one of the most evident examples of human modification of the Earth and has therefore become a very important element in world environmental studies. For effective monitoring of environmental changes and proper management of natural resources to be carried out, studies on urban growth patterns needs to be carried out. This makes urban expansion studies extremely important. The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis of Ghana has been experiencing fast urban growth over the past two decades. Forest and agriculture lands are being converted to uses concerned chiefly with population growth and increased in economic activities. This research sought to assess urban expansion in the metropolis using an integrated remote sensing and GIS approach. Several remote sensing techniques were used to carry out land-use land-cover change detection using two multitemporal Landsat images of the years 1991 and 2008. This assisted in determining the changes that have taken place over the 17 year period. Urban growth pattern was also analysed using GIS techniques. The results showed that there has been a significant urban growth in the study area. The annual rate of change of land cover within the 17 year period was determined to be 1.77%. The results further showed that urban expansion was uneven in different part of the metropolis and that there is a negative correlation between the density of urban expansion and distance to a major road. The results further showed that the annual rate of change of urban/built-up land is 4.88%. This urban development has therefore altered the land cover of the metropolis significantly.

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