Street-network Sprawl in Gamboru, Cameroon

What is Street-network sprawl?

Street-network Sprawl is a way to measure urban sprawl, worldwide, through the connectedness of the streets. Less sprawl means more connected, more walkable streets. Well-connected streets – like New York City’s grid – are more walkable and can be served by public transit.

The street network is permanent, and its connectivity affects the livability and environmental footprint of cities for decades and centuries to come. In places with more connected streets, residents drive less and walk more. A well-connected street network is associated with better outcomes for health, the environment, sustainable consumption, social integration, and equity.

We can quantify how connected street networks are with the Street Network Disconnectedness Index (SNDi).

SNDi -- our measure of street-network sprawl (disconnectedness)

The SNDi is a comprehensive measurement of “sprawl”. It captures:

A higher SNDi means less-connected streets – i.e., more sprawl. For the 10137 cities in our dataset, the average SNDi is 2.25, with half of the cities' SNDis falling between 1.08 and 3.25.

More information on the sprawl index can be found in these research papers:

To see the state of street-network sprawl across the globe, visit the sprawlmap.

Gamboru: city in Borno, Cameroon

What exactly constitutes the spatial extent of the city? For these aggregations, we used the Global Human Settlement Layer Urban Center Database (GHS-UCDB) to define the boundaries of the city. These cities -- or urban centers -- cover areas that are densely populated and built-up, and so may extend beyond the spatial borders of these cities that we may be familiar with. The GHS area is shaded in blue.

View Gamboru, Cameroon on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Gamboru as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 0.49, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 1.09, 0.02, 2.73 and 0.35. Disconnectivity in street construction in Gamboru follows a zig-zag trend. In 1976-1990, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 1991-2000.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Gamboru spans a total of 144 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 0.02, which is very well-connected.

Effect on the aggregate network: New construction in each period adds to the total stock of streets, but does not change streets that have already been built. Therefore, it has a limited effect on the street network as a whole. The SNDis of the aggregate street network in the respective time periods are 1.09, 0.24, 0.56 and 0.49. Disconnectivity in Gamboru's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1976-1990, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 1975.

Gamboru and Borno do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Gamboru followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease, while the SNDi of street constructions in Borno was at its lowest in 1976-1990.

How do development practices in Gamboru fare in comparison to others in Borno? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Gamboru was the 1st-most disconnected out of the 1 cities in Borno. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Gamboru ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

Gamboru and Cameroon do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Gamboru followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease, while the SNDi of street constructions in Cameroon peaked in 1991-2000.

How do development practices in Gamboru fare in comparison to others in Cameroon? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Gamboru was the 32nd-most disconnected out of the 51 cities in Cameroon. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Cameroon, street construction in Gamboru has become more connected. Gamboru ranked 26th in 1975, 40th in 1976-1990, 26th in 1991-2000 and 32nd in 2001-2014.

Gamboru and Borno do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Gamboru followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease, while the SNDi of street constructions in Borno was at its lowest in 1976-1990.

To date, Gamboru is the 1st-most disconnected out of the 1 cities in Borno. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Gamboru ranked 1st in 1975, 1st in 1976-1990, 1st in 1991-2000 and 1st in 2001-2014.

Gamboru and Cameroon do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Gamboru followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease, while the SNDi of street constructions in Cameroon rose steadily.

To date, Gamboru is the 42nd-most disconnected out of the 51 cities in Cameroon. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Cameroon, the street network in Gamboru has become more connected. Gamboru ranked 26th in 1975, 44th in 1976-1990, 41st in 1991-2000 and 42nd in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Gamboru had a built-up area of 4.01 square kilometers, and a population of 320609 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: