Global Urban Land Expansion Meta-Analysis
Author Information
Author(s): Seto Karen C., Fragkias Michail, Güneralp Burak, Reilly Michael K., Añel Juan A.
Primary Institution: Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
Hypothesis
What are the rates and factors driving global urban land expansion?
Conclusion
The study found that urban land area increased by 58,000 km2 from 1970 to 2000, with significant variation across regions.
Supporting Evidence
- Urban land expansion rates are higher than urban population growth rates.
- China has the highest rates of urban land expansion.
- Urban areas in low elevation coastal zones are growing faster than elsewhere.
- Urban land expansion is as likely to occur near protected areas as in other regions.
Takeaway
Cities around the world are growing bigger, and this growth is happening faster than the number of people living in them.
Methodology
The study reviewed 326 case studies using satellite data to analyze urban land expansion from 1970 to 2000.
Potential Biases
The geographic distribution of case studies may not capture the largest cities, leading to potential sampling bias.
Limitations
The study relies on published English-language sources and may not represent all urban areas globally.
Participant Demographics
The study includes urban areas from 67 countries across all continents except Antarctica.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.04228
Statistical Significance
p=0.04228
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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