Analysis of Urban Expansion through the Geospatial Application of Remote Sensing and GIS: a case of Sebeta Town

Abstract

Rapid and unmanageable urban expansion is becoming the characteristic of cities as well as the towns in developing countries like Ethiopia. Sebeta town is one of the victims of such type of problem and expanding improper way because of rapid population growth, rural to urban migration and massive expansion of industries, rising demand of land for residential need and for others. Hence, this study analyzes urban expansion of Sebeta town using the application of remote sensing and GIS and shows the patterns of improper urbanization that provide paramount information for the town planner or decision makers. To achieve the intended objectives, the study used Landsat image of (1986, 2000, 2010&2020) and identify, quantify and map of land use land cover of Sebeta town. The pattern of land use land cover change detection from the year 1986, 200, 2010 and 2020 was analyzed using maximum likely hood supervise classification algorithm. According to the output of initial year (1986) agricultural land had high area coverage and settlement had very small covered, in 2000 agricultural land covers the highest percentage from the total land mass of the town and followed by vegetation instead of settlement forest area was diminished. In the year 2010 the result is slightly changed from the outputs of 1986 & 2000, settlement and vegetation is on the same level, but agriculture area was decreased. Finally, in 2020 high coverage of settlement and a huge loss of agriculture areas have been seen. According to change detection analysis between 1986 and 2000, 2000 and 2010, 2010 and 2020, 1986 and 2020, Settlement or built-up area shows an increment by38.9 % (1986_2020) and Agriculture area and vegetation shows decrement by 33.81%, 12.61% respectively. Hence an average growth rate of or an increment of settlement is 1.14% per year, on the other side agricultural area is decrease 0.994%per year, this implies settlement dominantly is consuming agricultural area. The rapid population growth of the town is one of the major causes for urbanization rural to urban migration from the nearby rural village and Land use land cover change detection plays a great role for urban expansion monitor and urban planning. Thus, the town government stack holders should use the application remote sensing and GIS for planning activities.