WorldSettlementFootprint
Analyse built-up areas, population distribution, and environmental hazards across global administrative regions and custom areas.
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A Global Lens on Settlement Dynamics.
The DLR's novel World Settlement Footprint (WSF) tracker provides the first consistent monitoring of global settlement extent at 10m resolution, updated biannually from 2016 to the present.
The WSF Platform combines satellite-derived settlement layers, population estimates and environmental hazard data in an interactive system; allowing users to track where people live, how built-up extent changes, and how settlements intersect with environmental and hazard conditions.
Actionable Insights for Urban Planning and Disaster Management.
The platform enables policymakers, researchers, and urban planners to analyse settlement patterns, population density and environmental hazard exposure across administrative regions, countries, or custom-defined areas.
Interactive dashboards reveal built-up growth, population distribution, and related indicators across space and time; supporting sustainable infrastructure development, disaster risk reduction, and data-driven decision making.
Hazard Datasets
Flood Depth
Fathom v3 Flood Depth Model. 30m resolution. Return period: 100 years. Climate scenario: 2020 (Current climate). 3 Flood types. 5 hazard levels (0m to > 1.5m).
Seismic Hazard
Global Seismic Hazard Map v2023.1. 1km resolution. Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) with 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years. 6 Hazard levels (no- to considerable damage).
Extreme Heat Hazard
3-day mean Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT). 10km resolution. Return periods: 5, 20, 100 years. 3 Hazard levels (< 28°C to > 32°C).
Cyclones
Tropical cyclone maximum wind speeds from the STORM Dataset. 10km resolution. Return periods: 10, 100, 1000 years. 7 Intensity levels (from < 18 m/s to > 62 m/s).
Subsidence Hazard
Subsidence Susceptibility Map. Climate scenario: 2040 (Future climate under high emission scenario RCP 8.5). 1km resolution. 6 Probability levels (very low to very high).Flood Depth
Fathom v3 Flood Depth Model. 30m resolution. Return period: 100 years. Climate scenario: 2020 (Current climate). 3 Flood types. 5 hazard levels (0m to > 1.5m).Seismic Hazard
Global Seismic Hazard Map v2023.1. 1km resolution. Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) with 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years. 6 Hazard levels (no- to considerable damage).Extreme Heat Hazard
3-day mean Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT). 10km resolution. Return periods: 5, 20, 100 years. 3 Hazard levels (< 28°C to > 32°C).Cyclones
Tropical cyclone maximum wind speeds from the STORM Dataset. 10km resolution. Return periods: 10, 100, 1000 years. 7 Intensity levels (from < 18 m/s to > 62 m/s).Subsidence Hazard
Subsidence Susceptibility Map. Climate scenario: 2040 (Future climate under high emission scenario RCP 8.5). 1km resolution. 6 Probability levels (very low to very high).User Guide
Data Layer Controls
The left "Data Controls" sidebar provides access to all WSF data layers. Toggle a layer on or off to visualise it on the map. Move the time slider at the sidebar bottom to observe how settlement footprints evolved over time.
- Toggle WSF-Tracker (built-up area) — currently featured
- Upcoming layers: WSF-Population, WSF-Imperviousness, WSF-3D
- Time slider for temporal exploration of settlement growth
Map View
The central map interface displays the selected WSF layer. Navigate freely, search for specific locations, or switch between map and globe view. Use the legend to interpret color-coded layers.
- Zoom, pan, and search for any location worldwide
- Toggle between 2D map and 3D globe view
- Real-time visualization of urban development patterns
Region Selection
Select up to 2 administrative regions (country or state level) directly on the map to compare their urban development patterns. Overview statistics for each region appear in the left sidebar.
- Select up to 2 countries or states for side-by-side comparison
- Overview statistics displayed per selected region
- For detailed time-series analytics, see Step 05
Healpix Selection
Need data for a specific area not covered by administrative boundaries? Use the Healpix grid to define a fully custom area of interest across multiple zoom levels.
- Select grid cells across any zoom level on the map
- Hit "Confirm Selection" to lock in your custom area
- View overview statistics in the left sidebar; detailed analytics in Step 05
Time Series Analytics
The right "Region Dashboard" sidebar provides detailed time-series analytics for your selected administrative regions or custom area. Explore interactive charts to understand urban development patterns over time.
- Interactive charts for selected regions or custom areas
- Compare metrics such as total built-up area and growth rate
- Analyze trends across multiple time periods
Hazard Selection and Statistics
Overlay hazard layers — such as flood or earthquake risk — on the map to analyze settlement and population exposure. Access exposure statistics directly in the Region Dashboard sidebar.
- Toggle flood, earthquake, and other hazard layers on the map
- View built-up area and land area exposed to selected hazards
- Population exposure statistics coming soon
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