The European Space Agency, together with Geoville, a geomatics company based in Europe, has developed a model that utilizes remote sensing imagery to refine population density data. Generally, postal codes have been used to provide density data but this tends to results in homogenous looking areas (i.e. the entire area has the same density).

“GeoVille first employed this technique in Vienna, Austria, with a population of roughly 1.5 million, and illustrated a complex and heterogeneous settlement structure from low density single family neighbourhoods to modern high-rise buildings and large industrial and commercial areas.” Population density can be determined down to 50 m blocks in urban areas and 100 m blocks in rural areas.

Read the ESA news release or visit the very brief project page on the Geoville website.