Application of Geospatial Tools and Hierarchical Multi-Criteria Analysis to the Study of Coastal Vulnerability to Flooding in San Pedro (South-West of the Ivory Coast)

San Pedro, a port city in south-western C？te d’Ivoire, is extremely vulnerable to flooding, coastal erosion and storm surges—adverse consequences of climate change. This study aims to analyse and map vulnerable areas along the San Pedro coastline by combining GIS, remote sensing and Hierarchical Multi-Criteria Analysis (AHP). The flood vulnerability map was constructed using seven key factors: slope, elevation, land cover and land use, population density, drainage density, rainfall and soil type. Of these factors, population density, land cover and slope are those with the greatest impact on flood vulnerability. This map reveals that 11.91 per cent of the study area has very low vulnerability, 20.94 per cent has low vulnerability, 22.97 per cent has medium vulnerability, 21.91 per cent has high vulnerability, and 22.27 per cent has very high vulnerability. The summary map of flood vulnerability shows that 44.18 per cent of the area under study has high to very high vulnerability, concentrated in low-lying central and coastal neighbourhoods. Only 11.91 per cent of the territory shows very low vulnerability to flooding. These results provide valuable information for decision-makers and local communities, contributing to the development of targeted mitigation strategies and raising awareness of areas vulnerable to flooding. This study highlights the importance of integrating geospatial technologies and multi-criteria analysis into flood risk assessment, in order to improve disaster preparedness and climate resilience.