Characteristics of spatio-temporal urban growth patterns due to the driving forces of urbanization: The Coastal City of Antalya, Turkey

Urban growth patterns are a reflection of how urbanization is affected by physical geography as well as by the economic, social, and natural factors of individual cities. Therefore, an analysis of any urban growth pattern triggered by these factors by using measurable variables can make a significant contribution towards the determination of future spatial growth strategies. This paper aims to characterise and evaluate the urban growth pattern of Antalya, a coastal city in Turkey, that occurred between 1987 and 2016. To achieve this, a multi-temporal analysis of satellite images was carried out to determine the city's urban growth patterns in 1987, 2000, and 2016, and spatial growth indices were then used to identify three urban growth types - sprawl, infill, and leapfrog. The results clearly show that the amount of built-up area in Antalya increased considerably after 2000, and is estimated to have grown by a factor of eight over the period covered by this study, predominantly through the processes of sprawl and leapfrog development.