Street-network Sprawl in Timbuktu, Mali

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.

Timbuktu: city in Mali

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 Timbuktu, Mali on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Timbuktu as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is -0.37, which is very well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 5.26, -0.42, -0.79 and -0.37. The disconnectivity of new streets constructed in Timbuktu fell, then rose. In 1991-2000, new street layouts were the most connected.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Timbuktu spans a total of 150 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 2001-2014. These roads have an SNDi of -0.37, 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 5.26, -0.35, -0.38 and -0.37. The SNDi of the aggregate street network in fell at first, but Timbuktu has worsened in disconnectivity since 2000.

Timbuktu and Timbuktu follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi for both of these was at its lowest in 1991-2000.

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

Timbuktu and Mali do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Timbuktu was at its lowest in 1991-2000, while the SNDi of street constructions in Mali rose steadily.

How do development practices in Timbuktu fare in comparison to others in Mali? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Timbuktu was the 15th-most disconnected out of the 16 cities in Mali. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Mali, street construction in Timbuktu has become more connected. Timbuktu ranked 1st in 1975, 15th in 1976-1990, 15th in 1991-2000 and 15th in 2001-2014.

Timbuktu and Timbuktu do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Timbuktu was at its lowest in 1991-2000, while the SNDi of street constructions in Timbuktu fell steadily.

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

Timbuktu and Mali do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Timbuktu was at its lowest in 1991-2000, while the SNDi of street constructions in Mali rose steadily.

To date, Timbuktu is the 16th-most disconnected out of the 16 cities in Mali. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Mali, the street network in Timbuktu has become more connected. Timbuktu ranked 1st in 1975, 15th in 1976-1990, 15th in 1991-2000 and 16th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Timbuktu had a built-up area of 4.2 square kilometers, and a population of 74510 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: