Spatial analysis of urban growth based on city center and central business district (a case study of Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar)

Abstract

The use of historical and present spatial data in urban growth analysis has been considered as a fundamental prerequisite in urban geographical studies, future planning and implementation of city development policies. In the current study, a comparative analysis of urban growth based on city center and central business district (CBD) of Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar was carried out. Four temporal satellite images of 5 years interval were used to determine the pattern, the process and general conditions of expansion of the urban extents in different directions. Pearson’s chi-square test and Shannon’s entropy measure were used to evaluate the degree-of-freedom and degree of sprawl towards the analysis of urban growth. To combine the previously mentioned statistics, the degree of goodness was used. The comparative analysis shows that there are contradictive results in the derived statistical measures from both considered urban growth centers indicating different conditions of urban growth. Deeper analysis accompanied by the theory of Von Thünen on urban land use support that the CBD is the most appropriate center of growth for the application of the previously mentioned statistical measures for the case of Antananarivo city.