June 2024

Delta Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates, v1 (1990, 2000, 2014, 2015)


PURPOSE

To provide country-level estimates of populations and land areas in river delta- and non-delta contexts for the years 1990, 2000, 2014, and 2015 for 246 statistical areas, focusing on greater-risk zones using the global extent of low elevation zones contiguous to the coast bounded by either 5 meters or 10 meters.


ABSTRACT

The Low Elevation Coastal Zone (LECZ) Global Delta Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates, Version 1 data set provides country-level estimates of urban, quasi-urban, rural, and total population (count), land area (square kilometers), and built-up areas in river delta- and non-delta contexts for 246 statistical areas (countries and other UN-recognized territories) for the years 1990, 2000, 2014 and 2015. The population estimates are disaggregated such that compounding risk factors including elevation, settlement patterns, and delta zones can be cross-examined. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently concluded that without significant adaptation and mitigation action, risk to coastal communities will increase at least one order of magnitude by 2100, placing people, property, and environmental resources at greater risk. Greater-risk zones were then generated: 1) the global extent of two low-elevation zones contiguous to the coast, one bounded by an upper elevation of 10m (LECZ10), and one by an upper elevation of 5m (LECZ05); 2) the extent of the world's major deltas; 3) the distribution of people and built-up area around the world; 4) the extents of urban centres around the world. The data are layered spatially, along with political and land/water boundaries, allowing the densities and quantities of population and built-up area, as well as levels of urbanization (defined as the share of population living in "urban centres") to be estimated for any country or region, both inside and outside the LECZs and deltas, and at two points in time (1990 and 2015). In using such estimates of populations living in 5m and 10m LECZs and outside of LECZs, policymakers can make informed decisions based on perceived exposure and vulnerability to potential damages from sea level rise.


ACCESSING THE DATA

The data may be downloaded at https://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-delta-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v1/data-download

Permanent URL: https://doi.org/10.7927/4hgr-db70

Documentation for the data may be downloaded at https://doi.org/10.7927/g7nw-7f23.


DATA FORMAT

The data archive consists of a zip file containing data and summary tables in Microsoft Excel (XLSX) tabular spreadsheet format.


DATA VALUES

For more information on the Low Elevation Coastal Zone (LECZ) Global Delta Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates, Version 1, please review the Documentation at: https://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-delta-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v1/docs. Alternatively, refer to the peer-reviewed publication at https://doi.org/10.1177/09562478231192176.


SPATIAL EXTENT

Global


DISCLAIMER

CIESIN follows procedures designed to ensure that data disseminated by CIESIN are of reasonable quality. If, despite these procedures, users encounter apparent errors or misstatements in the data, they should contact SEDAC User Services at ciesin.info@ciesin.columbia.edu. Neither CIESIN nor NASA verifies or guarantees the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of any data provided. CIESIN provides this data without warranty of any kind whatsoever, either expressed or implied. CIESIN shall not be liable for incidental, consequential, or special damages arising out of the use of any data provided by CIESIN.

   
USE CONSTRAINTS

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).  

Users are free to use, copy, distribute, transmit, and adapt the work for commercial and non-commercial purposes, without restriction, as long as clear attribution of the source is provided.


RECOMMENDED CITATION(s)

Data Set:

Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University, and CUNY Institute for Demographic Research (CIDR), City University of New York. 2024. Low Elevation Coastal Zone (LECZ) Global Delta Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates, Version 1. Palisades, New York: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). https://doi.org/10.7927/4hgr-db70. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR.

Scientific Publication: 

G. McGranahan, D. Balk, S. Colenbrander, S. Engin, and K. MacManus. 2023. Is Rapid Urbanization of Low-elevation Deltas Undermining Adaptation to Climate Change? A Global Review. Environment and Urbanization 135(2): 527-559. https://doi.org/10.1177/09562478231192176.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

These data were produced with funding from SEDAC and the World Resources Institute's Center for Urban Transitions. The production team was led by Kytt MacManus (CIESIN) and Deborah Balk (CIDR), with critical contributions from Hasim Engin (CIDR), Rya Inman (CIESIN), and Gordon McGranahan from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS). Mairead Milan, Alexandra Hays, Sarah Colenbrander, Catlyne Haddaoui, and Leah Lazar provided additional support and comments.


REFERENCES

MacManus, K., D. Balk, H. Engin, G. McGranahan, and R. Inman. 2021. Estimating population and urban areas at risk of coastal hazards, 1990-2015: how data choices matter. Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 5747-5801. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-5747-2021.