The World Settlement Footprint (WSF) Tracker is a dataset with a dedicated, online, open-source platform that allows users to explore urban dynamics globally, including in some of the world’s most hazard-prone areas.
The platform enables users to access and analyse datasets that show how urban areas grow and change over time. Covering the period from July 2016 to January 2026, the dataset provides an unprecedented view of settlement dynamics at 10 m resolution, with updates every six months based on satellite data from the Copernicus Sentinel missions.
Here we see Cologne, Germany, between July 2016 and January 2026. The animation shows construction over the past decade, with new buildings shown in black, red, orange and yellow (most recent).
The full set of cities from WSF Tracker can be viewed here.
Read full story: Tracking urban expansion in hazard-prone areas