Urbanisation and urban sprawl in the fringe areas of Klang-Langat Metropolitan Region

The process of urban sprawl in the fringe areas of metropolitan regions in developing countries including Malaysia has witnessed many rural settlements being converted into modern housing estates and commercial centres apart from industrial parks. The present study aims at analysing the process of urban sprawl and it’s impact on rural settlements and land use in the fringe areas of Klang-Langat metropolitan region. Using census reports of 1991 and 2000 and land use data obtained from the Department of Agriculture 1984, 1994, 2006, settlement and land use changes of the region were detected. As expected urban land use has increased very rapidly. In contrast, agricultural area has decreased substantially. However, the decrease of forest area was not obvious. It was also evident that land use fragmentation had occured in the fringe areas indicating that land development carried out in the area was not effectively monitored. Given the fact that the processes of urbanization and urban sprawl had indeed altered both the land use and living conditions of the people in the fringe areas of Klang-Langat metropolitan region, a clear understanding of the process will only facilitate the future development planning of the region by the relevant local authorities.