IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/lauspo/v153y2025ics0264837725000912.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessment of urban growth dynamics using landscape expansion index: A study of 514 metropolitan cities from 1975 to 2020

Author

Listed:
  • Sharma, Gajender Kumar
  • Ghuge, Vidya V.

Abstract

Understanding urban growth dynamics is essential for assessing urbanization impacts, guiding long-term planning, and optimizing infrastructure development. This study examines urban growth across 514 metropolitan cities using Global Human Settlement Layer data from 1975, 1990, 2000, 2015, and 2020. The Landscape Expansion Index identifies three dominant growth patterns: edge expansion, infill growth, and outlying growth. The study findings reveal that edge expansion dominates North America and China, driven by policy and infrastructure investments. Infill growth is most prominent in South and Southeast Asia, particularly in high-density cities like Tokyo and Singapore, where rising land prices encourage vertical development. Outlying growth is widespread in African and Indian cities due to rapid population growth and affordable peripheral land. Europe and South America exhibit stable edge expansion from 1975 to 2020, reflecting slower urbanization. The Middle East and the Rest of Asia display mixed growth patterns influenced by ongoing urbanization and rising population demands. Oceania experienced outlying growth from 2015 to 2020 in expanding urban peripheries. The study highlights factors influencing urban growth, such as mean elevation, which negatively impacts urban growth, while proximity to water bodies increasingly facilitates expansion, particularly in coastal cities. Surrounding land availability limits outlying growth expansion and encourages densification. The analysis shows that edge expansion and infill growth exhibited significant vertical growth. The infill growth surged from 1.68 in 1990 to 3.21 in 2020, while edge expansion increased from 0.59 to 1.87 over the same period. Outlying growth displayed the lowest vertical growth, rising from 0.10 in 1990 to 0.90 by 2020. These findings highlight the need for strategic planning to balance growth and align development with environmental constraints for resilient cities. The present study provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of urban growth and urban planning.

Suggested Citation

  • Sharma, Gajender Kumar & Ghuge, Vidya V., 2025. "Assessment of urban growth dynamics using landscape expansion index: A study of 514 metropolitan cities from 1975 to 2020," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:153:y:2025:i:c:s0264837725000912
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2025.107557
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264837725000912
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.landusepol.2025.107557?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chao Bao & Chuang-lin Fang, 2012. "Water Resources Flows Related to Urbanization in China: Challenges and Perspectives for Water Management and Urban Development," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(2), pages 531-552, January.
    2. Michael C. Lens & Paavo Monkkonen, 2016. "Do Strict Land Use Regulations Make Metropolitan Areas More Segregated by Income?," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 82(1), pages 6-21, January.
    3. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2020. "Housing, urban growth and inequalities: The limits to deregulation and upzoning in reducing economic and spatial inequality," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(2), pages 223-248, February.
    4. Chen, Yawei, 2022. "Financialising urban redevelopment: Transforming Shanghai’s waterfront," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    5. Liu, Yudi & Nath, Nabamita & Murayama, Akito & Manabe, Rikutaro, 2022. "Transit-oriented development with urban sprawl? Four phases of urban growth and policy intervention in Tokyo," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    6. Lei, Yayuan & Flacke, Johannes & Schwarz, Nina, 2021. "Does Urban planning affect urban growth pattern? A case study of Shenzhen, China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    7. Chen, Hang & Meng, Fei & Yu, Zhenning & Tan, Yongzhong, 2022. "Spatial–temporal characteristics and influencing factors of farmland expansion in different agricultural regions of Heilongjiang Province, China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    8. Nir Mualam & Andreas Hendricks & Vida Maliene & Eyal Salinger, 2021. "Value Capture and Vertical Allocations of Public Amenities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-21, April.
    9. Liang, Yue & Du, Mengbing & Wang, Xiangxiao & Xu, Xiwei, 2020. "Planning for urban life: A new approach of sustainable land use plan based on transit-oriented development," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    10. Abdulaziz I. Almulhim & Simon Elias Bibri & Ayyoob Sharifi & Shakil Ahmad & Khalid Mohammed Almatar, 2022. "Emerging Trends and Knowledge Structures of Urbanization and Environmental Sustainability: A Regional Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-23, October.
    11. R. Srinivas & Ajit Pratap Singh & Divyanshu Shankar, 2020. "Understanding the threats and challenges concerning Ganges River basin for effective policy recommendations towards sustainable development," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 3655-3690, April.
    12. Tian, Guangjin & Jiang, Jing & Yang, Zhifeng & Zhang, Yaoqi, 2011. "The urban growth, size distribution and spatio-temporal dynamic pattern of the Yangtze River Delta megalopolitan region, China," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(3), pages 865-878.
    13. Busso, Matias & Chauvin, Juan Pablo & Herrera L., Nicolás, 2021. "Rural-urban migration at high urbanization levels," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    14. Goode, Charles Edward, 2023. "TOD in regional urban growth boundaries (UGBs): A case of transit adjacent development or a strategic housing solution?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    15. Ingo Zasada & Kati Häfner & Lena Schaller & Boris van Zanten & Marianne Lefebvre & Agata Malak-Rawlikowska & Dimitre Nikolov & Macario Rodríguez-Entrena & Rosa Manrique & Fabrizio Ungaro & Matteo Zava, 2017. "A conceptual model to integrate the regional context in landscape policy, management and contribution to rural development: Literature review and European case study evidence," Post-Print hal-01744526, HAL.
    16. Duong H Nong & Christopher A Lepczyk & Tomoaki Miura & Jefferson M Fox, 2018. "Quantifying urban growth patterns in Hanoi using landscape expansion modes and time series spatial metrics," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(5), pages 1-18, May.
    17. Cleophas, Catherine & Cottrill, Caitlin & Ehmke, Jan Fabian & Tierney, Kevin, 2019. "Collaborative urban transportation: Recent advances in theory and practice," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 273(3), pages 801-816.
    18. Ismaila Rimi Abubakar & Umar Lawal Dano, 2020. "Sustainable urban planning strategies for mitigating climate change in Saudi Arabia," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 5129-5152, August.
    19. Amponsah, Owusu & Blija, Daniel Kwame & Ayambire, Raphael Anammasiya & Takyi, Stephen Appiah & Mensah, Henry & Braimah, Imoro, 2022. "Global urban sprawl containment strategies and their implications for rapidly urbanising cities in Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    20. Alexandros I. Stefanakis & Cristina S.C. Calheiros & Ioannis Nikolaou, 2021. "Nature-Based Solutions as a Tool in the New Circular Economic Model for Climate Change Adaptation," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 303-318, June.
    21. Brenner, Anna-Katharina & Haas, Willi & Krüger, Tobias & Matej, Sarah & Haberl, Helmut & Schug, Franz & Wiedenhofer, Dominik & Behnisch, Martin & Jaeger, Jochen A.G. & Pichler, Melanie, 2024. "What drives densification and sprawl in cities? A spatially explicit assessment for Vienna, between 1984 and 2018," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    22. Batara Surya & Agus Salim & Hernita Hernita & Seri Suriani & Firman Menne & Emil Salim Rasyidi, 2021. "Land Use Change, Urban Agglomeration, and Urban Sprawl: A Sustainable Development Perspective of Makassar City, Indonesia," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-31, May.
    23. Yizhou Wu & Peilei Fan & Bo Li & Zutao Ouyang & Yong Liu & Heyuan You, 2017. "The Effectiveness of Planning Control on Urban Growth: Evidence from Hangzhou, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-24, May.
    24. Jia, Mengyuan & Liu, Yan & Lieske, Scott N. & Chen, Tian, 2020. "Public policy change and its impact on urban expansion: An evaluation of 265 cities in China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    25. Meng, Liting & Sun, Yan & Zhao, Shuqing, 2020. "Comparing the spatial and temporal dynamics of urban expansion in Guangzhou and Shenzhen from 1975 to 2015: A case study of pioneer cities in China’s rapid urbanization," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    26. Hannes Weber & Jennifer Dabbs Sciubba, 2019. "The Effect of Population Growth on the Environment: Evidence from European Regions," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 35(2), pages 379-402, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. 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.
    2. Huan Lu & Ruiyang Wang & Rong Ye & Jinzhao Fan, 2023. "Monitoring Long-Term Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Urban Expansion Using Multisource Remote Sensing Images and Historical Maps: A Case Study of Hangzhou, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-23, January.
    3. Zhang, Shouguo & Zhang, Jianjun & Sha, Anmeng & Zhang, Yaping & Zhang, Di, 2023. "How to recognize the role of policy clusters in built-up land intensity: An empirical case of the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    4. Yavuz Alkan, 2021. "User-focused alternative design model for Sarıçay channel and landscaping in terms of sports and health components: Çanakkale, Turkey," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 7212-7229, May.
    5. Hoyong Kim & Donghyun Kim, 2022. "Changes in Urban Growth Patterns in Busan Metropolitan City, Korea: Population and Urbanized Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-18, August.
    6. Menzori, Ivan Damasco & de Sousa, Isabel Cristina Nunes & Gonçalves, Luciana Márcia, 2023. "Local government shift and national housing program: Spatial repercussions on urban growth," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    7. Menzori, Ivan Damasco & Sousa, Isabel Cristina Nunes de & Gonçalves, Luciana Márcia, 2021. "Urban growth management and territorial governance approaches: A master plans conformance analysis," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    8. Li, Xiaoshun & Ji, Haitao & Chen, Xin & Liu, Xizhao & Geng, Yiwei & Deng, Bixia & Li, Fan, 2025. "A mechanics-based theoretical framework of urban sprawl force: A case study in Nanjing, Wuxi, and Yangzhou, China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    9. Yi Yang & Tetsuo Kidokoro & Fumihiko Seta & Ziyi Wang, 2023. "Are Local Residents Benefiting from the Latest Urbanization Dynamic in China? China’s Characteristic Town Strategy from a Resident Perspective: Evidence from Two Cases in Hangzhou," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-37, February.
    10. Matthew Mleczko & Matthew Desmond, 2023. "Using natural language processing to construct a National Zoning and Land Use Database," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(13), pages 2564-2584, October.
    11. Liu, Guilin & Li, Jingyun & Nie, Peng, 2022. "Tracking the history of urban expansion in Guangzhou (China) during 1665–2017: Evidence from historical maps and remote sensing images," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    12. Rumbach, Andrew & Sullivan, Esther & McMullen, Shelley & Makarewicz, Carrie, 2022. "You don’t need zoning to be exclusionary: Manufactured home parks, land-use regulations and housing segregation in the Houston metropolitan area," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    13. Zhou, Liang & Gong, Yangchun & López-Carr, David & Huang, Chunlin, 2024. "A critical role of the capital green belt in constraining urban sprawl and its fragmentation measurement," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    14. Dinglin Zhang & Yangyi Wu & Meitong Liu, 2023. "Characterizing Sprawl Development in Urban China: A Perspective from Urban Amenity," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-17, June.
    15. Nicola Ricca & Ilaria Guagliardi, 2023. "Evidences of Soil Consumption Dynamics over Space and Time by Data Analysis in a Southern Italy Urban Sprawling Area," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-22, May.
    16. Yuanhe Yu & Jinkuo Lin & Peixiang Zhou & Shuwei Zheng & Zijun Li, 2022. "Cultivated Land Input Behavior of Different Types of Rural Households and Its Impact on Cultivated Land-Use Efficiency: A Case Study of the Yimeng Mountain Area, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-21, November.
    17. Zhang, Yihao & Liu, Yong & Yang, Qiaoran & Yue, Wenze, 2024. "Assessing performance and disparities in China’s land finance transition: Insights from neo-liberalism and neo-Marxism," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    18. Juan Guillermo Urzúa-Morales & Juan Pedro Sepulveda-Rojas & Miguel Alfaro & Guillermo Fuertes & Rodrigo Ternero & Manuel Vargas, 2020. "Logistic Modeling of the Last Mile: Case Study Santiago, Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-18, January.
    19. João Ricardo Faria & Franklin G. Mixon, 2022. "Labor Markets and Sustainability: Short-Run Dynamics and Long-Run Equilibrium," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-10, April.
    20. Roberto Ganau & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2022. "Does urban concentration matter for changes in country economic performance?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(6), pages 1275-1299, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:153:y:2025:i:c:s0264837725000912. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joice Jiang (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/land-use-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.