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Urbanization in Small Cities and Their Significant Implications on Landscape Structures: The Case in Ethiopia

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  • Berhanu Keno Terfa

    (State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping, and Remote Sensing, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China)

  • Nengcheng Chen

    (State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping, and Remote Sensing, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
    Collaborative Innovation Center of Geospatial Technology, Wuhan 430079, China)

  • Xiang Zhang

    (State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping, and Remote Sensing, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China)

  • Dev Niyogi

    (Department of Agronomy-Crops, Soils, Environmental Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
    Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA)

Abstract

Fundamental ideas concerning urbanization are primarily based on studies performed in large cities. It is of interest to study whether or not similar phenomena take place in smaller cities. Small cities are an inherent component of urbanization, and in the future, the majority of globalization is expected to occur in small and mid-sized cities. Understanding the effects of small cities on landscape structures is, therefore, an essential component in planning city land expansion. Accordingly, this study focused on six towns of the Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinnee, Ethiopia, which is broadly known to be experiencing dramatic growth. Time-series Landsat images from 1987 to 2019 with an integrated method, landscape metrics, and built-up density analysis were employed to characterize and compare the dynamics of landscape structures, urban expansion patterns, process, and overall growth status in the towns. The results highlight that all the towns experienced accelerated growth in the built-up areas and highly scattered nature in spatial growth. Landscape ecology analysis confirmed a highly fragmented urban landscape, a significant loss of natural land covers, and disconnected and complicated agro-vegetation patches in all towns, suggesting a lack of rigorous implementation of the master plan. Results also indicated that the Oromia Special Zone surrounding Finfinnee has failed to control urban sprawl to surrounding ecological sensitive areas. The study results, more broadly, highlight that the small cities would have a limited physical and demographic footprint and relatively less contribution to the national economic agglomeration; nonetheless, they can have a notable and important impact in terms of their ecological and environmental influence. Hence, the study suggests policies for monitoring such dynamics and protecting agro-environmental connectivity with particular focus on the small cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Berhanu Keno Terfa & Nengcheng Chen & Xiang Zhang & Dev Niyogi, 2020. "Urbanization in Small Cities and Their Significant Implications on Landscape Structures: The Case in Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-19, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:1235-:d:318143
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ananda, Jayanath & Hampf, Benjamin, 2015. "Measuring environmentally sensitive productivity growth: An application to the urban water sector," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 211-219.
    2. Admasu Shiferaw, 2017. "Productive Capacity and Economic Growth in Ethiopia," CDP Background Papers 034, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
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    7. Berhanu Keno Terfa & Nengcheng Chen & Dandan Liu & Xiang Zhang & Dev Niyogi, 2019. "Urban Expansion in Ethiopia from 1987 to 2017: Characteristics, Spatial Patterns, and Driving Forces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-21, May.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Koroso, Nesru H., 2023. "Urban land policy and urban land use efficiency: An analysis based on remote sensing and institutional credibility thesis," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    3. Dereje Regasa & Ameyu Godesso & Ine Lietaert, 2023. "LIVING ON THE MARGINS: The Socio‐spatial Representation of Urban Internally Displaced Persons in Ethiopia," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(3), pages 369-385, May.
    4. Jiabo Xu & Xingping Wang, 2020. "Reversing Uncontrolled and Unprofitable Urban Expansion in Africa through Special Economic Zones: An Evaluation of Ethiopian and Zambian Cases," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-20, November.
    5. Basu, Tirthankar & Das, Arijit & Das, Ketan & Pereira, Paulo, 2023. "Urban expansion induced loss of natural vegetation cover and ecosystem service values: A scenario-based study in the siliguri municipal corporation (Gateway of North-East India)," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    6. Batara Surya & Despry Nur Annisa Ahmad & Harry Hardian Sakti & Hernita Sahban, 2020. "Land Use Change, Spatial Interaction, and Sustainable Development in the Metropolitan Urban Areas, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-43, March.

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