• Villages

    Villages in the Himalaya face unprecedented environmental and economic pressure.

  • Hotspot for Hazards

    Over the past few years, the Himalaya has experienced a number of devastating earthquakes, fires, floods, and landslides.

  • Migration

    Fueled by migration from rural areas, the growth of religious, ecological and adventure tourism, and recent social unrest, towns and urban centers are expanding.

  • Hazards and Urbanization

    The Himalaya is at the confluence of two major trends: natural disasters and urbanization.

  • Vulnerability

    How does urbanization affect vulnerability to natural disasters in the Himalayas?

  • The Himalayan Region

    Extending over eight countries, the Himalaya is one of the most dynamic mountain systems in the world.

Urban Himalaya

How is urbanization reshaping vulnerabilities in the Himalaya?

We are a team of geographers, environmental scientists, anthropologists, and economists working together to answer these questions:

  • Where are settlements changing and how is this affecting the landscape?
  • How do earthquakes, fires, floods, and landslides affect growing urban communities?
  • How does socio-economic status affect sensitivity to hazards?
  • Where and why are urban communities most vulnerable?
  • What explains differences in the vulnerability of urban settlements across the Himalaya?

 

News and Field Notes

  • Mapping workshop in Suspa, Nepal, January 2020

    Satellite imagery paired with local insights track changes in Nepal

    May 25, 2020
  • Urban Himalaya PI, Karen Seto, teams up with Yale FES Professor, Eli Fenichel, to win RFF Award

    July 25, 2018
  • Eduardo Brondizio Visits Yale FES

    April 18, 2018
  • Cori Grainger Joins the UH Team

    January 15, 2018
  • Team Travels to Survey Sites

    December 29, 2017
  • Collaborative Meeting at Yale F&ES

    September 30, 2017
  • NASA has recently awarded a grant to study the changing urban patterns of the Himalaya

    NASA funds research on urban growth in the Himalaya

    February 24, 2017