How did the growth of built-up land in parts of Europe compare with population growth from 1980 to 2000?

Between 1980 and 2000, the growth of built-up land in parts of Europe significantly outpaced population growth. According to data from the European Environment Agency, the population within a subset of European countries increased by only 6 percent during this period, while the spatial footprint of built-up areas expanded by 20 percent.1

This trend of urban sprawl—the rapid expansion of the geographic extent of cities and towns—reflects a broader phenomenon where the physical footprint of metropolitan areas grows much faster than the number of residents they accommodate. In some specific instances, such as the metropolitan area of Palermo, Italy, the disparity was even more pronounced; from the mid-1950s to the late 1990s, the city's population rose by 50 percent, while its spatial footprint increased by 200 percent.1