Land use/land cover (LULC) has changed dramatically in the peri-urban area (PUA) of greater Cairo (GC) since the Egyptian revolution of 2011. This study analyzes LULC change in the PUA of GC using two Landsat images from 2010 and 2018. The spatial trends of LULC change and visualizations of the gains and losses in LULC were analyzed using TerrSet software. The driving forces of LULC change from 2010–2018 were quantified using the logistic regression model (LRM). The results revealed that the processes of LULC change and urban sprawl have directly impacted the natural resources, particularly agricultural land. In addition, the study showed that the population growth and land value have the highest regression coefficients, 0.660 and 0.292, respectively, and were the most significant driving forces of LULC from 2010–2018. The outcomes of this study are important for decision-makers to adopt appropriate strategies for sustainable land use in this area.

The peri-urban area (PUA) of the Greater Cairo Region (GCR) in Egypt has witnessed a rapid urban expansion during the last few years. This urban expansion has led to the loss of wide, areas of agriculture lands and the annexation of many peripheral villages into the boundary of the GCR. This study analyzed the driving factors causing the urban expansion in the GCR during the period 2007–2017 using the logistic regression model (LRM). Eight independent variables were applied in this model: distance to the nearest urban center, distance to the nearest center of regional services, distance to water streams, distance to the main agglomeration, distance to industrial areas, distance to nearest road, number of urban cells within a 3 × 3 cell window and population density. The analysis was conducted using LOGISTICREG module in Terrset software. This research showed that the population density and distance to the nearest road have the highest regression coefficients, 0.540 and 0.114, respectively, and were the most significant driving factors of urban expansion during the last 10 years (2007–2017). Moreover, based on the results of the LRM, a probability map of urban expansion in the PUA was created, which shows that most urban expansion would be around the existing urban areas and near roads. The relative operating characteristic (ROC) value of 0.93 indicates that the probability map of urban expansion is valid.

Since the 1950s, The Greater Cairo Metropolitan Region (GCMR) has witnessed an unprecedented rate of urban sprawl that has been mainly concentrated in arable lands against urban planning regulations, and has presented a critical challenge to the urban environment and serious corrosion for arable lands. Thus, the need to identify the driving factor of sprawl is crucial to understand the future of the GCMR urban environment and to overcome the serious challenges of rapid urbanization. We focused on the Giza governorate as a critical area in the GCMR and divided it into three sub-sectors to collect data and analyse. A primary list of driving factors was identified by literature review. Later this list was narrowed down to seven factors after interviews with local urban experts and consideration of the availability of data. Next, a logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate those factors with data derived from existing maps and remotely sensed data for the period of 2004–2013. An operating characteristic (ROC) evaluation of the logistic regression analysis gave high accuracy rates for the entire study area. The findings of the research revealed decreasing significance of the CBD and Nile River as drivers of sprawl. The most significant factors according to the analysis were neighbourhood factors, local urban centres, and accessibility factors of distances to urban uses and major roads. The research suggests more future urban expansion by the existing urban cores and along major roads, leading to more informal urban settlements. It also points to the possibility of persistent deterioration in the urban built environment and agricultural lands. Thus, these findings should be applied to actual urban planning policies, and development regulations should be strengthened to protect the urban environment from further deterioration.

The 15 minute Community Life Circle (15 min-CLC) concept is an urban planning approach that aims to provide various daily services for citizens within a short distance. It has been widely adopted in China, especially in large cities. However, there is a lack of research on how to apply the 15 min-CLC concept in second-tier cities, which have high population densities and lower quality of life. This study chose Jinan City as a case study to explore the underdeveloped areas and facilities of 15 min-CLCs in rapidly developing and medium-size cities, called second-tier cities. First, it analyzed the distribution of facilities and residential POIs in old communities, new communities, and the whole city, to find out which types of facilities are missing at the community level. Second, it examined the relationship between facilities and population in each 15 min-CLC by using the Facility to Population Ratio (FPR), to evaluate the sufficiency of facilities to meet the daily needs of residents. Through the analysis of facility distribution and Facility to Population Ratio, our study found that old communities have all the required facility types within each 15 min-CLC, but they do not have enough number of facilities to support the population. At the same time, identified the underdeveloped regions and provided specific development directions for each 15 min-CLC. The FPR methodology developed in this study can be used to evaluate whether the existing facilities can meet the daily needs of residents in a certain region.