The newly created urban expansion dataset is useful in many fields including trend analysis of urbanization in China; simulation of
urban development dynamics; analysis of the relationship among urbanization, population growth and migration; studies of carbon
emissions and climate change; adaptation of climate change; as well as land use and urban planning and management.
urban expansion, land use, cropland conversion, built-up areas
Urban land is the land cover type where most human activities
occur with the greatest intensity of land use. With the
growth of population and increase of wealth in the world,
large number of people moves from rural to urban areas at
an accelerating rate [1]. As a result, urban areas expand significantly.