Abstract:
We used three Landsat images together with socio-economic data in a post-classification
analysis to map the spatial dynamics of land use/cover changes and
identify the urbanization process in Nairobi city. Land use/cover statistics,
extracted from Landsat Multi-spectral Scanner (MSS), Thematic Mapper (TM)
and Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM + ) images for 1976, 1988 and 2000
respectively, revealed that the built-up area has expanded by about 47 km.
The road network has influenced the spatial patterns and structure of urban
development so that the expansion of the built-up areas has assumed an
accretive as well as linear growth along the major roads. The urban expansion
has been accompanied by loss of forests and urban sprawl. The integration of
demographic and socio-economic data with land use/cover change revealed that
economic growth and proximity to transportation routes have been the major
factors promoting urban expansion. Topography, geology and soils were also
analyzed as possible factors influencing expansion. The integration of remote
sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) was found to be effective in
monitoring land use/cover changes and providing valuable information necessary
for planning and research. A better understanding of the spatial and temporal
dynamics of the city’s growth, provided by this study, forms a basis for better
planning and effective spatial organization of urban activities for the future
development of Nairobi city.
