Dynamics of Urban Expansion in the Northwest Mesoregion of Minas Gerais

Analysis and Trends with the Urban Expansion Index

Authors

  • Arthur Pereira dos Santos Doutor em Ciências Ambientais, UNESP, Brasil. , ,
  • Leticia Tondato Arantes Doutora em Ciências Ambientais, UNESP, Brasil. , ,
  • Mayra Vanessa Lizcano Toledo Doutoranda em Ciências Ambientais, UNESP, Brasil. , ,
  • Juliana Heloisa Pinê Américo-Pinheiro Professora Doutora, UNESP, UB, Brasil. , ,
  • Darllan Collins da Cunha e Silva Professor Doutor, UNESP, Brasil. , ,

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17271/23188472138820255602

Keywords:

Territorial Management, Remote Sensing, Sustainable Urban Development

Abstract

Objective – To investigate the evolution of the Urban Expansion Index (UEI) in the Northwest mesoregion of Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil, between 1990 and 2020, using Remote Sensing (RS) data from the MapBiomas project.

Methodology – The UEI was calculated based on the proportion of urbanized area in relation to other land use classes in each municipality. The values were normalized to enable temporal and spatial comparisons across municipalities and then classified into five urbanization categories. Spatial analysis was conducted through the creation of thematic maps, allowing a detailed visualization of urban growth trends and geospatial variations over time.

Originality/relevance – The study provides a systematic approach to monitoring urban expansion at the regional scale, integrating RS data and spatial analysis with a focus on territorial management. It emphasizes the application of a specific index (UEI) and its spatial categorization to interpret urban dynamics.

Results – The findings reveal significant variations in the level of urbanization among the 19 municipalities analyzed. Vazante recorded the highest UEI in 2020, followed by Paracatu and Unaí, indicating substantial urban growth. In contrast, Formoso and Guarda-Mor maintained the lowest levels of urbanization, reflecting limited urban development. The data suggest that economic factors such as agriculture, mining, and infrastructure investments influence urbanization patterns in the region.

Theoretical/methodological contributions – The application of the UEI and the use of MapBiomas data demonstrate the effectiveness of Remote Sensing in analyzing regional urban expansion. The study contributes methodologically by proposing a useful tool for comparative analysis and territorial planning.

Social and environmental contributions – The results underscore the importance of using RS data to support public policy formulation aimed at urban planning and the promotion of sustainable urban development, tailored to the local characteristics of the Northwest mesoregion of Minas Gerais.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Downloads

Published

2025-04-20

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 88 (2025): Edição em Português e Inglês

Section

Full Article

License

Copyright (c) 2025 National Journal of City Management

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the National Journal of City Management (RNGC), internationally published as Revista Nacional de Gerenciamento de Cidades (RNGC), the right of first publication.

Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits sharing, distribution, reproduction, adaptation, and reuse of the content in any medium or format, including for commercial purposes, provided that appropriate credit is given to the authors, the journal, and the original publication.

Any reuse of the content must clearly indicate authorship, source of publication, and the applicable license.

How to Cite

SANTOS, Arthur Pereira dos; ARANTES, Leticia Tondato; TOLEDO, Mayra Vanessa Lizcano; AMÉRICO-PINHEIRO, Juliana Heloisa Pinê; SILVA, Darllan Collins da Cunha e. Dynamics of Urban Expansion in the Northwest Mesoregion of Minas Gerais: Analysis and Trends with the Urban Expansion Index. National Journal of City Management, [S. l.], v. 13, n. 88, 2025. DOI: 10.17271/23188472138820255602. Disponível em: https://publicacoes.amigosdanatureza.org.br/index.php/gerenciamento_de_cidades/article/view/5602. Acesso em: 12 jun. 2026.