Urban Growth and Land-Use Structure in Two Mediterranean Regions: An Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis

The present study develops an Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) with the aim to assess changes over time in the distribution of selected uses of land in two Mediterranean urban regions (Rome and Athens) with different morphology and economic functions. The study uses global and local Moran's indexes of spatial autocorrelation to describe the land-use structure observed in the two cities in mid-1970s and late-2000s, and debates on the divergent contribution of compact growth and scattered urban expansion to changes in land use. The analysis identifies fringe landscapes as a key target for urban containment policies in sprawling cities.