Analysis of Land Use Structure Change using GIS based Spatial Matrices; reference to Colombo District, Sri Lanka

Urbanisation and urban growth are common phenomena witnessed in both the Western and the Eastern parts of the world. For the record, more than half of the world's population is urbanised. Globally, all regions are responsible for accommodating and adjusting to their urban growth in a sustainable manner. This rapid growth has led to massive urban agglomerations that directly affect the landscape changes in urban areas and this high urban concentration gradually expands outwards in either a haphazardous or a planned manner converting non urban uses to urban uses. As a result, urban land uses are complex and face continuous changes. Analysis of these changes is significant for urban planning and policy making bodies. GIS based landscape mercies the use of land use structure change in urban areas, which most scholars have used. Colombo is the most urbanized district in Sri Lanka and its land use gradually face changes. Hence, this research aims to identify land use structure change pattern in the Colombo district using GIS based landscape matrices. Results contribute to the discovery of significant facts about interpretation of urban land use using selected spatial matrices.