The Impact of Urbanization on the and UEconomic rban Characteristics of Tripoli City during the Period (2010–2020)

Abstract

This study examines the impact of urbanization on the economic and urban (spatial) characteristics of Tripoli during 2010–2020 by linking demographic and spatial change to labor-market dynamics, living costs, investment conditions, and the performance of urban services. The research adopts a descriptive–analytical approach supported by secondary data analysis. Remote sensing and GIS-based evidence is used to track urban expansion patterns and directions, complemented by macroeconomic reports and service-related indicators relevant to housing, infrastructure, and the urban environment. Findings indicate that urbanization in Tripoli largely followed a horizontal expansion (urban sprawl) pattern towards peripheral areas, resulting in rising pressures on housing supply and key infrastructure systems (electricity, water, solid waste), as well as higher mobility costs and growing spatial disparities between the urban core and expanding fringes. Economically, the urbanization process coincided with a stronger service-oriented urban economy and the expansion of informal and vulnerable employment as a coping mechanism under macroeconomic volatility and increased living costs. Urban expansion also contributed to higher land values in accessible and serviced zones, while planned investment continued to face governance and planning constraints. The study recommends strengthening urban planning and enforcement, promoting compact growth and affordable housing options, upgrading transport and utilities.