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Unravelling the Frontiers of Urban Growth: Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Land-Use Change and Urban Expansion in Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana

Author

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  • John E. K. Akubia

    (Governance & Sustainability Lab., Faculty of Regional & Environmental Sciences, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54296 Trier, Germany)

  • Antje Bruns

    (Governance & Sustainability Lab., Faculty of Regional & Environmental Sciences, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54296 Trier, Germany)

Abstract

This study analyzed and assessed spatio-temporal dynamics of land-use change (LUC) and urban expansion (UE) within the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) of Ghana. This region serves as a case to illustrate how a major economic hub and political core area is experiencing massive spatial transformations, resulting in uneven geographies of urban land expansion. Quickbird/Worldview-2 images for the years 2008 and 2017 were segmented and classified to produce LUC maps. LUC and UE were analyzed by post-classification change detection and spatial metrics, respectively. The results revealed an intensive decrease in open-space by 83.46 km 2 , brushland/farmland (194.29 km 2 ) and waterbody/wetland (3.32 km 2 ). Conversely, forestland and urban built-up area increased by 3.45 km 2 and 277.62 km 2 . Urban extent expanded from 411.45 km 2 (27%) in 2008 to 689.07 km 2 (46%) in 2017 at a rate of 5.9% and an intensity of 2.06% with an expansion coefficient of 1.5%, indicating low-density urban sprawl. The spatial pattern turned out to be an uneven and spatially differentiated outward expansion, which materialized mainly in districts located within the urban peripheries but intensely towards eastern and western directions, being the frontier and the hotspots of urbanization. Overall, the findings bear important implications for regional spatial planning and development.

Suggested Citation

  • John E. K. Akubia & Antje Bruns, 2019. "Unravelling the Frontiers of Urban Growth: Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Land-Use Change and Urban Expansion in Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-23, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:8:y:2019:i:9:p:131-:d:261729
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    Cited by:

    1. John E. K. Akubia & Abubakari Ahmed & Antje Bruns, 2020. "Assessing How Land-Cover Change Associated with Urbanisation Affects Ecological Sustainability in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-18, June.
    2. Zihao Zheng & Zhifeng Wu & Yingbiao Chen & Zhiwei Yang & Francesco Marinello, 2020. "Detection of City Integration Processes in Rapidly Urbanizing Areas Based on Remote Sensing Imagery," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-15, October.
    3. Biao Zhang & Dian Shao & Zhonghu Zhang, 2022. "Spatio-Temporal Evolution Dynamic, Effect and Governance Policy of Construction Land Use in Urban Agglomeration: Case Study of Yangtze River Delta, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-36, May.
    4. Tewodros M. Tena & Phenny Mwaanga & Alick Nguvulu, 2019. "Impact of Land Use/Land Cover Change on Hydrological Components in Chongwe River Catchment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-13, November.
    5. Darshana Athukorala & Yuji Murayama, 2020. "Spatial Variation of Land Use/Cover Composition and Impact on Surface Urban Heat Island in a Tropical Sub-Saharan City of Accra, Ghana," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-20, September.

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