*3.1.2.2 Urban class extraction*

Urban class is defined in this case as 'all manmade features including buildings, roads, and pavements in addition to vegetation covered areas such as oases, farms, parks, and farmed areas within the city boundary'. To extract urban areas, a bitmap is created to include urban and non-urban only.

## *3.1.2.3 Spatial metrics*

The application of a number of spatial metrics is used to characterize the urban growth of the city. As such, the following spatial metrics are used:

