Growing urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa, with its attendant degradation of natural vegetation, is a real scourge. It takes the form of urban sprawl, with its corollary of native vegetation degradation. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of urban sprawl in Brazzaville and the related degradation of the vegetation covering on the urban site. The methodological approach was based on the collection of documentary and field data, as well as the analysis of Landsat satellite images from 2002, 2012 and 2022. The results show a regressive evolution of natural plant formations in favor of urbanization. The area of vegetation cover fell from 17,523 ha in 2002 to 8355.5 ha in 2022, representing a regression rate of 52.32% in 20 years. At the same time, the urban area has grown from 12,164 ha in 2002 to 29,892 ha in 2022, an increase of 145.74%. This deterioration in vegetation cover is reflected in water erosion, resulting in silting-up and flooding of homes and sanitation facilities.

Addae B., and Oppelt N. (2019). Land-use / land-cover change analysis and urban growth in thes great Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA). In. Urban Sci. 2019, 3, 26. pp.1-20;

Allarané, N., Azagoun,V. V. A., Atchadé, A. J. et al. (2023). Urban Vulnerability and Adaptation Strategies against Recurrent Climate Risks in Central Africa: Evidence from N’Djaména City (Chad). Urban Sci. 2023, 7, 97.https://doi.org/10.3390/ urbansci7030097;

Amontcha, A. A. M., Lougbegnon, T., Tente, B., et al. (2015). Urban development and degradation of phytodiversity in the commune of Abomey-Calavi (South Benin) (French). In. Journal of Applied Biosciences 91, pp. 8519-8528. ISSN-5902;

Atchade A. J., Kanda M., Folega F., et al. (2023). Urban Flora Structure and Carbon Storage Potential of Woody Trees in Different Land Use Units of Cotonou (West Africa). Urban Sci. 2023, 7, 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/ urbansci7040106.

Attipo R. V., Emvoulou I. J. and Aholou C. K., (2023). Analysis of Cascading Effects on Key Urban Networks During Flooding in Brazzaville, Congo. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning. Vol. 18, No. 11, November, 2023, pp. 3467-3475. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.181112 ;

Bawa, D. (2017). Morpho-pedological slopes, developments and hydromorphological risks in the city of Atakpamé in Togo (French). In. Revue Ivoirienne de Géographie des Savanes (RIGES), Bouaké, n° 3, p. 6-24 ;

Bawa, D., Banassim T., Afo B., et al. (2019). Water erosion in the Adidogomé-Avatamé district of Lomé: What development measures for sustainable management? (French) In. Revue Ivoirienne de Géographie des Savanes, Number 6 June 2019, ISSN 2521-2125, pp. 24-46.

Bawa; D., (2018). Changes in urban peripheries in southern Togo: rural spaces facing the test of population and land commodification. [PhD thesis in Earth Sciences]. University of Montpellier (French). Montpellier, 240 p.;

Curtis, R. M. (2014). Access and use of forest resources: Evidence from common property forest management in Swaziland. African Journal of Estate and Property Management, 1 (1) (2014) 008 - 017. Http://Hdl.Handle.Net/10535/9785

Danvide; T., B. (2015). Governance of urban planning policies and flood management in Cotonou (Benin). [PhD thesis] (French). University of Abomey-Calavi, Urban planning and environmental management, 262 p.;

Djangbedja; M., Kouya; A.-E., Afla A., et al (2017). Floristic and phytogeographic analysis of the vegetation of the lower Zio valley (French). In. Revue Ivoirienne de Géographie des Savanes, No. 3, December 2017, p. 73-88.

Dziwonou, Y. (2001). Urbanization and urban development in question (French). CAMES Review-Series B, vol. 03 – n°002, pp.164-174;

Emvoulou I. J. (2019) Land tenure and irregularities in Brazzaville: the case of district 6 Talangaï. [Research Master’s thesis], African School of Architecture and Urban Planning Professions (EAMAU), Lomé, 96 p.;

Emvoulou I. J., Attipo R.V. and Gnongbo T. Y., (2024). Climate Change and Urban Risks: Understanding and Analysing the Vulnerability of the City of Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo to Flooding in 2023. Pak. j. life soc. Sci. (2024), 22(2): 8907-8918. www.pjlss.edu.pk https://doi.org/10.57239/PJLSS-2024-22.2.00673

Evrade; A., Eba; L., Ake; G., E., et al. (2021). Assessment of the vulnerability to flooding of municipalities near large West African cities: case of the municipality of Bingerville (East of Abidjan-Côte d’Ivoire) (French). In: European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 17 (14), 23 p.

Fode, C., Sacko; I., Lamarana; B. A., et al. (2020). Spatio-temporal analysis of the effects of anthropogenic pressure on vegetation cover in the urban municipality of Pita (French), in: Sciences et Techniques, p. 1-11. Consulted online on 29/03/2024;

Folega F., Wala K., and Akpagana K. (2019). Impact of urban expansion on the vegetation of the commune of Atakpamé in Togo (French). In Rev. Sc. Approx. Univ., Lomé (Togo), 2019, n° 16, vol. 1 ISSN 1812-140, pp. 101-124

Gansaonre, N., Benewindé, R., Zoungrana, J.-B., et al. (2020). Vegetation cover dynamics on the periphery of the W Park of Burkina Faso (French), Belgeo [Online], 1 | 2020, Published online on 12 June 2020, accessed on 15 June 2020. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/belgeo/40786.

Gnongbo; Y., T., (2003). Current morphodynamics and urbanization in Lomé (French). In: Geographical works and research, n°17, Lomé, pp. 5-19.

Kimpouni, V. et al. (2018). Study of the floristic diversity of pteridophytes in Brazzaville, Congo, VertigO (French) - the electronic journal in environmental sciences [Online], Regards / Terrain, published on 05 December 2018, consulted on 12 September 2024. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/vertigo/23458; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/vertigo.23458;

Koua Oba, J. (2019). Urban Extension and Nature Protection: The Mixed Experience of Brazzaville (French). Journal of Geography of the Jean Lorougnon Guédé University of Daloa. pp. 1-17;

Louembe, D. and Nzila, J. D. (2007). Impact study of the development works of the areas affected by erosion and the construction and rehabilitation of paved roads and tertiary drainage network in Brazzaville (French), Brazzaville, PURCV-IDA, 96 p+ annexes;

Louembe, D. and Tchicaya, A. (1993). The problems of degradation of urban sites by water erosion in southern Congo (French). World Bank Report, Brazzaville, 114 p.;

M’bouka Milandou, I. A. W. (2022). Contribution to the spatio-temporal assessment of hydrometeorological risks on the Maya-Maya plateau in Brazzaville (Republic of Congo) (French). In. Cinq Continents, 12 (26) pp. 227-249;

Mambou J-R. & Elenga H. (2023). Erosions, Floods and Poor Drainage of Rainwater: What Solutions in the Framework of Sustainable Redevelopment of the City of Brazzaville by 2030? (French) ESI Preprints. https://doi.org/10.19044/esipreprint.7.2023.pp. 449

Mayima, B. A., Ditengo, C. and Goma Boumba, H. B. (2018). Spatial growth and morpho-climatic phenomena in the city of Brazzaville in Congo (French). RegardSuds, special issue December 2018. www.regardsuds.org, accessed May 22, 2022;

Mayima, B. A., M’bouka Milandou, I. A. W. and Sitou, L. (2019). Land use and environmental degradation, by water erosion, in the urban commune of Kintélé (Republic of Congo): Diagnosis and proposal of control solutions (French). In : Revue Marocaine de Géomorphologie, N°3, pp. 93-111 ;

Mutungu Kuleta T., Lelo Nzuzi F., Kisangala Muke M., et al. (2021). Urban growth and gully erosion in the town of Kikwit (Democratic Republic of Congo) (French). Canadian journal of tropical geography/Revue Canadien de Géographie Tropicale [Online], Vol. (8) 1. Online August 15, 2021, pp. 26-30. URL: http://laurentian.ca/cjtg

Nassa; D., D., A. (2009). Nature crisis in the Abidjan metropolitan area: the example of the colonization of green spaces by housing and businesses in the commune of Cocody (French). https://shs.science/halshs-00352541 from January 13, 2009, 11 p.

Nganmo, I. S. and Priso, R. J. (2022). Impacts of urbanization on some forest ecosystems in the city of Douala (French). In. International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, pp. 400-417. http://www.itgdg.org, accessed on 29/09/2024;

Nzila J. D. D., Watha-Ndoudy N., Kaya-Mabiala D. et al. (2020). Current Dynamics of Hydric Erosion in the Kingouari, Mfilou and Djoué Watersheds in the Southwestern Part of Brazzaville City (Congo). Earth Sciences. Vol. 9, No. 5, 2020, pp. 201-209. doi: 10.11648/j.earth.20200905.16.

Polorgni; B., Radji; R., and Kokou; K. (2015). Public policy for the management of green spaces in the city of Lomé in Togo (French). In. International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, 9 (4), 1888-1901, August 2015, 14 p.

Rani, N., Singh, T. and Mandla, R. V. (2015). Comparison of atmospheric correction of Hyperion image using FLAASH and QUAC methods. Geoinformatics applications in Rural Developments, (2015) 452 – 459.;

Sautter, G. (1966). From the Atlantic to the Congo River: A Geography of Underpopulation (French). Mouton, Paris, vol. 2. 582 + 520 p.;

Séné, A. (2018). Urban sprawl to the detriment of peri-urban agricultural areas in Bignona (Senegal) (French). In Revue Espace Géographique et Société Marocaine n°23 July 2018, pp. 91-112 ;

Sitou, L., & Mayima, B. A. (2013). Water erosion in urban areas: the case of the Makélékélé Boardau south of Brazzaville, Congo, Brazzaville (French). In Les cahiers de l’IGRAC, n° 9, pp. 119-135;

Soma; A., and Rouamba; J. (2022). Flooding and health problems in the anthropized watershed of dams 1, 2 and 3 of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. (French) In. Revue Espace, Sociétés et Santé (RETSSA), PASRES edition, Abidjan, pp. 20-32

Takili, M. (2014). Urban growth and dynamics of precarious housing areas in Lomé. [PhD thesis in Urban Geography] (French). University of Lomé, 460 p.;

Takou; P., W. (2016). Prospective modeling of the city of Lomé: Landscape dynamics and spatial simulation. [Single doctoral thesis] (French). University of Lomé, Togo, 235 p.

Tampo, L., Gnazou; M., Akpataku; V., et al. (2015). Application of statistical methods to the hydrochemical study of the waters of a tropical hydrosystem: case of the Zio River watershed (Togo) (French). In. European Scientific Journal, May 2015, vol. 11, No. 14, p. 204-225.

Tankoano, B., Hien, M., Dibi, N. H., et al. (2015). Spatio-temporal dynamics of the wooded savannahs of the Tiogo classified forest in Burkina Faso. Int. J. Biol (French). Chem. Sci., 9 (4) 1983 - 2000, August 2015; http://www.ifg-dg.org; ISSN 1997-342X (Online), ISSN 1991-8631 (Print), 18 p.;

Tao, Q., Qiang, R., Da, Z., et al. (2023). Impacts of urban expansion on vegetation in drylands: A multiscale analysis based on the vegetation disturbance index; Ecological Indicators, Volume 147, 2023, 109984, ISSN 1470-160X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.109984.

Tchamie; T., K., T. and Badameli; K., S. (1997). Function and sign of the tree in the urban space of Lomé (French). In. Collection Patrimoines, n°7, Lomé, pp. 239-252.

Tchitembo, B. B. and Moundza, P. (2017). Urban growth and precarious housing in Brazzaville: the example of the Mpieré-Mpieré district (French). In Revue congolaise de communication Lettres Arts et Sciences Sociales (CLASS), N°4, dec. pp.17-29.

Tchotsoua, M. and Bonvallot, J. (1997). Erosion phenomena and urban management in Yaoundé (Cameroon) (French). In Espaces tropicaux, pp. 517-528;

UN-Habitat. (2012). Urban Planning and Management of Flood Zones in African Cities (French), http://www.unhabitat.org, 63 p.;

Van Caillie X. (1990). Erodibility of Zaire’s sandy soils and erosion control (French). In Cahiers ORSTOM, série Pédologie, XXV, 1-2: pp.197-208.

Vennetier P. (1966). Géographie du Congo-Brazzaville (French). Paris, Gauthier-Villars, 170 p, 40 maps and sketches, 27 photographic Boards, bibliography, statistical appendices;

Wouters, T. and Wolff, E. (2010). Contribution to the analysis of intra-urban erosion in Kinshasa (D.R.C.) (French). In Belgeo, 3, pp.293-314.

Yang, C., Huang, J., Jiao, M., et al. (2024). The Effects of Urbanization on Urban Land Green Use Efficiency of Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration: Mechanism from the Technological Innovation. Sustainability 2024, 16, 2812. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072812