Human induced land use/land cover change, occurring at an unprecedented rate and scale, is one of the major environmental concerns in Asia and the Pacific region. The changes are driven by rapid economic, social, environmental, and technological changes across Asia. Accurate and up-to-date information to support the above statement is however, not available for many countries. Moreover, there is a need to influence decisions based on factual data and information. The availability of such information, at the national level, is a pre-requisite for sustainable management of natural resources. The demand and use of such information, at the policy level, is ever increasing.

Land use/land cover change can have significant impact on the biogeochemical cycles, which in turn changes the dynamics of greenhouse gas emissions. Land use/land cover change can also have an important impact on the water and energy balance, directly affecting climatic conditions. It also affects the floral and faunal biodiversity of the region and can have important consequences for food security. Thus, it is very timely and relevant to assess and monitor the land use/land cover status of the Asian counties. A better understanding of the driving forces responsible for the change can help better understand the trends in land use/land cover changes. Such information is essential for land use planning and sustainable management of resources