Monitoring Urban Growth and the Nepal Earthquake 2015 for Sustainability of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Urban coverage in Kathmandu Valley has expanded dramatically from 20.19 km² in 1976 to 139.57 km² in 2015, with an average annual growth rate of 7.34% to 7.70%, driven by unplanned urbanization that has depleted cultivated lands and forests. This rapid expansion, analyzed using Landsat images from 1976 to 2015, shows significant urban concentration in the eastern part of the valley while exposing geological vulnerabilities that could threaten future sustainability if current trends persist. The study highlights the urgent need for strategic land-use planning and policies to mitigate environmental and cultural risks.

Rimal, B., Zhang, L., Fu, D., Kunwar, R., & Zhai, Y. (2017). Monitoring Urban Growth and the Nepal Earthquake 2015 for Sustainability of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Land, 6(2), 42. https://doi.org/10.3390/land6020042