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IAPRS & SIS, Vol.34, Part 7, “Resource and Environmental Monitoring”, Hyderabad, India,2002 
LAND USE / LAND COVER MAPPING OF VISHAKHAPATNAM DISTRICT, ANDHRA 
PRADESH, INDIA USING REMOTE SENSING AND GIS 
K.C. Sahu * *, S. Pradhan ?, B.N. Mishra ?, S.Sudhakar? 
“ P.G. Department of Marine sciences, Berhampur University, Berhampur-7, Orissa, India 
» Regional Remote Sensing Service Center, IIT Campus, Kharagpur, India 
KEY WORDS: GIS, Land use/ Land Cover, Built up land, Forest areas, Crop land, Waste Lands, Water Bodies 
ABSTRACT: 
Remote sensing and GIS based study can be effectively utilised for mapping and monitoring of natural resources. In the present 
study an attempt has been made to map the status of different land use/ land cover pattern of Vishakhapatnam district of Andhra 
Pradesh, India using Indian Remote Sensing Satellite data (IRS 1D LISS III) of November, 2000 and Survey of India (SOI) 
topographical map. The study reveals about 59% of the total geographical area of the district are used by extensive agriculture, 
regarded as croplands. The forest cover occupies an area of 2550.75 sq. km. Other categories found in the study area are Settlement, 
Wastelands, water bodies, coastal Sandy areas and marshy areas cover the rest part of the area. 
1.INTRODUCTION 
  
Over exploitation of land resources causes a significant change 
to the landforms, which has adverse effect to the environment. 
As the land resources have been sole source of sustainance of 
mankind, timely mapping and monitoring of land forms 
become a prime requisite for the management and development 
of these resources. In recent years, the spatial distribution 
pattern and locational aspects of land use/ land cover can be 
studied more accurately by using Remote sensing technique. 
Remote sensing technology has emerged as an important tool in 
recent times for monitoring and management of these natural 
resources. The effect of topography, spatial / spectral resolution 
and atmosphere are some of the scene and sensor dependant 
issues that always hinder and influence the ability to map land 
use/ land cover from the remotely sensed data accurately. 
Selecting appropriate season and sensor could solve some of 
these problems (Kushwaha and Madhavan, 1986; Rao, 1990; 
Sudhakar et.al., 1992). In the present study, an attempt has 
been made to monitor the land use/ land cover pattern of 
Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh, India. 
LOCATION MAP OF STUDY AREA 
  
  
    
   
SEE 
VISHAKHAPATNAM 
! Lt 
  
   
STUDY AREA 
The study area (figure-1) covers the total Visakhapatnam 
district of Andhra Pradesh, India. This district falls in the 
geographical co-ordinate of 17° 15’ N to 17° 32° N and 81° 54’ 
E to 83° 30° E having total area 11,161 sq. km. It is one of the 
coastal district of Andhra Pradesh. 
  
  
  
Figure-1: Location map of the study area 
  
* Corresponding author 
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