Spatio-Temporal Change of Urban Sprawl Pattern in Gambella Town
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Date
2024-11-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Understanding land use and land cover (LULC) changes and urban sprawl, along with their
drivers and impacts on socio-economic and environmental conditions, is essential for
designing knowledge-based interventions that promote sustainable development. Gambella
Town is a key area experiencing significant LULC changes and urban sprawl, driven by a
range of interconnected factors. This study investigates these changes over the past 24 years
(2000–2023) and identifies the main drivers and socio-economic and environmental impacts.
Using multi-temporal Landsat satellite imagery and supervised image classification, along
with a socio-economic survey of 277 respondents, the study classified land into six
categories: Agricultural Land, Bush with Grass, Built-Up Area, Bare Land, Forest Land, and
Water Bodies. The classification achieved high accuracy, with overall accuracies of 90%,
90%, and 89% for 2000, 2010, and 2023, respectively. The analysis reveals substantial
LULC changes, notably the conversion of Bush with Grass into residential and commercial
zones. Agricultural Land increased from 13.4% (634 ha) in 2000 to 36.9% (1,750 ha) in
2023, while Built-Up Areas expanded from 2% (93 ha) to 41.3% (1,956 ha). In contrast, Bush
with Grass sharply declined from 71.1% (3,375 ha) to 13.7% (652 ha), and declines in Bare
Land and Forest Land indicate a shift toward settlements and agriculture. Socio-economic
analysis shows that rural-to-urban migration, natural population growth, and increased
demand for jobs and services are the primary factors driving these changes. Urban sprawl
has displaced residents, heightened infrastructure demands, and limited access to essential
services. Environmentally, this expansion has led to habitat loss and biodiversity decline.
These findings offer crucial insights for policymakers and planners aiming to mitigate urban
sprawl challenges and advance sustainable development in Gambella Town.
Keywords: LULC, Urban Sprawl, Remote Sensing, Landsat satellite imagery, Environmental
Impact, and Sustainable Development.
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Keywords
LULC, Urban Sprawl, Remote Sensing, Landsat satellite imagery, Environmental Impact, and Sustainable Development.