Support vector machine-based spatiotemporal land use land cover change analysis in a complex urban and rural landscape of Akaki river catchment, a Suburb of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Intense level of land use land cover (LULC) changes has been observed in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the central highlands of Ethiopia, due to rapid population growth and urbanization process. However, quantifying and identifying the rural-urban landscape changes are challenging. In this study, LULC changes during the years 1984, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2021 have been analyzed using satellite imageries and Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithms in a heterogenous rural and urban landscape of the Akaki river catchment, central highlands of Ethiopia.