Urban process and future development of Colombo metropolitan area, Sri Lanka: An application of geospatial Techniques

Abstract

The Colombo metropolitan area (CMA), which is Sri Lanka’s only metropolitan area and surrounds the well-known port city of Colombo has experienced rapid urban growth over the last two decades. Due to this urbanization pressure, the sustainability of CMA has facing several socioeconomic and environmental issues. In such context, investigating the spatiotemporal pattern of the urban process and future development is essential for introducing the sustainable urban planning initiatives. This research aims to investigate the spatiotemporal pattern of the urban process since the 1990s and future potential urban development using geospatial tools and techniques.