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Characterization of the Spatial Urban Growth of the city of Lubumbashi (Haut-Katanga, D.R. Congo) between 1989 and 2014. A quantification of the spatio-temporal dynamics of urbanization is crucial to apprehend urban morphology and its ecological effects, in order to support sustainable urban planning. This study aimed at understanding the spatial urban growth of Lubumbashi city based on the analysis of six SPOT satellites images. With the exception of the 1996-2002 period, Lubumbashi city underwent a high average annual growth rate exceeding that observed for other cities in sub-Saharan Africa. Between 1989 and 2014, the built-up percentage increased from 6 % to 20 %. Our results suggest that the urbanization of Lubumbashi city followed a complex diffusion-coalescence model. The main reason of this perturbation is the combination of the rapid demographic growth with an inappropriate urban growth management.