GRID3 updates settlement extents for all of sub-Saharan Africa
GRID3, with partner CIESIN, has published the third version of its settlement extents for sub-Saharan Africa. This open-access data covers 49 countries and three small island territories, and includes more than 9 million settlements.
Settlement extents, representing the geographical boundaries of settled areas, are derived from satellite imagery and refined using additional data sources to improve accuracy. This data helps identify inhabited areas across sub-Saharan Africa, including those often missed by traditional settlement lists, ensuring that no community is overlooked in development planning and service delivery.
The updated 2024 settlement extents are available for the following countries and territories:
GRID3 first released settlement extent data covering all of sub-Saharan Africa in 2020, followed by a second version in 2023. Each dataset comes with detailed release notes outlining the methodology and usage terms.
