 Remote sensing imagery can be used to monitor and map changes in urban areas due to population growth and urbanization. However, current indices have limitations in distinguishing between built-up and bare land. A new index, called the Enhanced Built-up and Bareness Index, EBBI, was developed to overcome these limitations by combining NIR, SWIR, and TIR bands. The EBBI was tested on images from Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, and found to be more accurate than five other indices in distinguishing between built-up and bare land. This article was authored by Iwayen Artana, ABD Rahman S. Syacher, Iwayen Sandy Adniana, and others.