ABSTRACT
Knowledge of the size and spatial distribution of the human population in an urban area is essential for understanding and responding to a myriad of social, economic, and environmental problems (Dobson et al., 2000; Sutton et al., 2001). Data on demographic characteristics and socioeconomic conditions are traditionally obtained from census and municipal statistics, questionnaires and interviews, and/or field surveillance. These data sources, however, often lack consistency when applied to a large metropolitan area or across several urban areas or various countries, or they may not be available at all (e.g., in some developing countries). Costs of frequent updates and spatial aggregation and boundary designation problems associated with a census (Openshaw, 1984) have fostered the use of remote sensing to acquire quality population information.
