PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS AN OLD GHSL PRODUCT

CHECK FOR THE MOST UPDATED VERSION OF GHSL DATASETS AT
https://ghsl.jrc.ec.europa.eu/datasets.php

The use of the GHSL Data Package 2022 (GHS P2022) is currently not recommended.

Although tests with independent reference data show that GHSL R2022A matches or outperforms other data sources for accuracy in epochs 2018 and 2020 and matches or outperforms also all the other single epochs (1975, 1990, 2000, and 2015) included in the previous release GHSL R2019, the accuracy of the time series and its change rates, however, are lower especially in the rural domain. According to the JRC internal tests, the anomaly is expected to introduce a positive bias in predicted change rates of built-up surfaces and built-up volumes after the year 2000. The positive bias is especially remarkable in the rural domain as set by the GHS-SMOD R2022A. Previous GHSL R2019 was affected by larger omission errors in rural areas compared to R2022A, therefore generating an underestimation of the change rates in the rural domain.

Thus, the use of the GHSL Data Package 2022 (GHS P2022) is currently not recommended for supporting multi-temporal studies and indicators including built-up surfaces, built-up volumes, and population, especially if stratified by GHS-SMOD grid class. Applications relying on data for epochs 2018 and 2020 are not affected.

A new multi-temporal model was developed and has been processed at global level and it is available as GHSL R2023A on https://ghsl.jrc.ec.europa.eu/datasets.php.

We thank all GHSL users for your continued support and apologize for the inconvenience.