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LAND USE CHANGES IN THE GREATER ATHENS AREA 
THE CONTRIBUTION OF REMOTE SENSING 
by 
I. MANTATIS, P. KARAMOSHOS, P. PETRANTZAS, PH. SPANIDIS, D. ROKOS 
Laboratory of Cadastre and Land Consolidation 
University of Thessaloniki, Engineering Faculty, Thessaloniki 
GREECE. 
ABSTRACT 
The subject of this paper is the monitoring, using the remote sensing 
methodology, of the rapid expansion of the greater Athens area and the 
results of this process to a part of the greater area which used to be an 
agricultural Land in 1930, while it is now Located in the central area of 
the city. 
The basic characteristic of this area is that a part of it has been included 
An the town plan in 1938 and is developed as a residential area, while the 
other part that was included in the town plan during 1968-69, is abontively 
FORMEL An an area of handicraft establishments, auto-repair shops, store 
ouses e.t.c. 
Using air photographs taken at different periods of time and field tests, the 
Land use changes are monitonéd, white the different rates of these changes 
during the Last 50 years are determined, The basic magnitudes that chanacte- 
nize the disproponsioned urban growth of Athens are given and the conditions 
of the area of study are connected with the corresponding conditions of A 
gheatern area. 
At Last, the factors that contributed to the today's wiban planning status 
of the area are determined, and conclusions about the effect of Land policies 
followed on urban areas and the methods of collecting data and monitoring 
their concequences on urban centres in Greece are presented. 
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