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Mapping Latest Patterns of Urban Sprawl in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

ABSTRACT Despite the unprecedented rapid urbanization on many parts of the African continent, limited scholarly works have investigated the phenomenon of urban sprawl in African cities. This article aims to provide up-to-date empirical evidence for sprawling patterns in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, by examining data on built-up area and population density based on geographic information systems. It also aims to present a more nuanced depiction of urban sprawl through differentiating planned urban construction from informal residential settlement. Results indicate the metropolis of Dar es Salaam has not only swelled dramatically during the period from 1990 to 2014, but also that it has followed a sprawling path of urban expansion, which is characterized by significantly lower population density than the old urban areas and informal settlement as the dominant form of residential construction in the fringe areas.