Menschen zählen aus dem All. Möglichkeiten und Grenzen von Satellitendaten zur Abschätzung der Bevölkerungsentwicklung und des Gebäudebestandes in deutschen Städten

Michael Wurm, Hannes Taubenböck, Jan Goebel, Stefan Dech and Gert Wagner

No 155, RatSWD Working Papers from German Data Forum (RatSWD)

Abstract: Is it possible to count the earth’s population from outer space? The answer is yes, in urban areas it is possible. However, this can only be done in an indirect manner: by identifying physical objects in the urban landscape in earth observation data and using these to estimate the number of inhabitants. Since the approach is indirect, data protection and the individual right to privacy are fully guaranteed. The data obtained using this method fill a gap, given that municipal population registers do not contain accurate population counts. However, remote sensing technology is not able to provide cadastral information. Nevertheless, as this paper shows, satellite imagery is capable of providing the basis for population estimates for small-scale areas. And, of course, remote sensing data also can be used to estimate the building stock. It would make sense to produce such estimates during the intervals between each building stock census, which is usually conducted every ten years with the population census. Remote sensing data cannot replace a population census, but can enrich the analytical power of population census data.

Keywords: Remote Sensing; spatial disaggregation; population estimation; census (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C83 J11 R14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 23
Date: 2010
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ger
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