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The aggregation of population in big cities leads to the concentration of human activities, economic wealth, over
consumption of natural resources and urban growth without planning and sustainable management. As a result, urban
societies are exposed to various dangers and threats with economical, social, ecological - environmental impacts on the
urban surroundings. Problems associated with urban development are related to their geological conditions and those of
their surroundings, e.g. flooding, land subsidence, groundwater pollution, soil contamination, earthquakes, landslides,
etc. For these reasons, no sustainable urban planning can be done without geological information support. The first
systematic recording, codification and documentation of "urban geology" geothematic information in Greece is
implemented by the Institute of Geological and Mineral Exploration (I.G.M.E.) in the frame of project "Collection,
codification and documentation of geothematic information for urban and suburban areas in Greece - pilot applications".
Through the implementation of this project, all geothematic information derived from geological mapping, geotechnical
- geochemical - geophysical research and measurements in four pilot areas of Greece Drama (North Greece), Nafplio &
Sparti (Peloponnesus) and Thrakomakedones (Attica) is stored and processed in specially designed geodatabases in GIS
environment containing vector and raster data. For the specific GIS application ArcGIS Personal Geodatabase is used.
Data is classified in geothematic layers, grouped in geothematic datasets (e.g. Topography, Geology - Tectonics,
Submarine Geology, Technical Geology, Hydrogeology, Soils, Radioactive elements, etc) and being processed in order
to produced multifunctional geothematic maps. All compiled data constitute the essential base for land use planning and
environmental protection in specific urban areas. With the termination of the project the produced geodatabase and other
digital data (thematic maps, DEMs) will be available to all, public or private sector, concerning geological environment
in urban and suburban areas, being in charge of protection and improvement of natural and human made environment.
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