Studying the Occupied Urban Land Development in Portugal Mainland Between 1990-2018

Abstract

Land intended for urban use is becoming increasingly concerned in our society, mainly for environmental reasons. In turn, it is an excellent indicator of the economic development of the territory. This study evaluates the urban area's change between 1990 and 2018 in Portugal Mainland and its relationship with the population. To achieve this aim, a Geographic Information System was used, and based on Corine Land Cover (CLC) data, the urban area occupied in 1990 and 2018 was determined. Also, together with the population in 2011, they formed a multi-temporal database. An exploratory analysis was carried out on it. The relationship between the population was analyzed in 2011 and the occupied urban area in 2018. Finally, the statistical inference was used, comparing the occupied urban area's average populations in 1990 and 2018. The results suggest that urban expansion has been very significant and identified the territories with the highest growth.