摘要：The study sought to investigate and analyse land use and land cover change for the Cape Coastand Sekondi coastal regions in Ghana between 2005 and 2013. The methodology adopted for thestudy involved data acquisition and preprocessing, extraction and validation of land use/coverinformation. It also involved assessment and examination of the patterns of land use/cover changesin the two study areas. Aerial photographs and topographic maps were obtained from the SurveyDepartment of Ghana. The delineation of the different categories of land cover and land use in thestudy area was done manually through on-screen digitization in ESRI ArcGIS 10.1. The majorland use/cover types identified in the study sites were built up area, vegetation and farms. It wasfound that since the two study sites are both fast growing urban communities, most of the land wasused for human habitation, hence, large parts were covered by built-up area. It was recommendedthat, relevant agencies such as the metropolitan, municipal and district development planningcommittees, including town and country planning department should monitor, regulate and planthe pattern of development in both communities. This recommendation will help the city authoritiesto keep abreast of changes that will occur in the cover and use of land and also factor such changesin the planning of such communities.
