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An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

Abstract

This study aims to develop a classification of land cover patterns in Karak governorate through supervised classification process for space coverings of land cover and land use during 1986 and 2017, using geographic information systems and remote sensing. To detect the change of land cover and land use and indicate the factors affecting it.The study found the classification of land cover and land use into six main types: (built up land), and barren land (Barren land), and agricultural land (farm land), land Pastoral land, land and forestry, land and water bodies, and salts land of water bodies. The percentage of change in the built-up lands was about 135.35%, the barren land reached 20.11%, the agricultural lands -20.37% and the pastoral lands - 34.11%. The rate of change in forest and forest land was -42.2% and in water and salt land -8.18% during the period 1986-2017. The results showed that there is a decline in all types of land cover Land use excluding built-up and barren land could lead to degradation of vegetation.The study recommended encouraging investment in Karak, especially in the agricultural sector, and the tourism sector in particular Ecotourism such as Wadi Mujib and Wadi Ibn Hammad, reducing urbanization at the expense of agricultural land.

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