Street-network Sprawl in Las Anod, Somalia

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.

Las Anod: city in Sool, Somalia

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 Las Anod, Somalia on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Las Anod as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is -0.04, which is very well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are -0.92, -0.56, -0.52 and 0.43. In each period, new street development in Las Anod steadily grows more disconnected than in the last.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Las Anod spans a total of 145 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 2001-2014. These roads have an SNDi of 0.43, 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 -0.92, -0.67, -0.6 and -0.04. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Las Anod has become more disconnected.

Las Anod and Sool do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Las Anod rose steadily, while the SNDi of street constructions in Sool peaked in 1991-2000.

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

Las Anod and Somalia do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Las Anod rose steadily, while the SNDi of street constructions in Somalia peaked in 1991-2000.

How do development practices in Las Anod fare in comparison to others in Somalia? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Las Anod was the 10th-most disconnected out of the 23 cities in Somalia. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other cities in Somalia, street construction in Las Anod has become more disconnected. Las Anod ranked 17th in 1975, 16th in 1976-1990, 11th in 1991-2000 and 10th in 2001-2014.

Las Anod and Sool follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi for both of these rose steadily.

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

Las Anod and Somalia do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Las Anod rose steadily, while the SNDi of street constructions in Somalia peaked in 1991-2000.

To date, Las Anod is the 19th-most disconnected out of the 23 cities in Somalia. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Somalia, the street network in Las Anod has become more connected. Las Anod ranked 17th in 1975, 20th in 1976-1990, 20th in 1991-2000 and 19th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Las Anod had a built-up area of 3.02 square kilometers, and a population of 100188 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: