At a glance
Land cover describes the physical surface, such as forest, water or built-up land; land use describes how people use that area.
Why it matters
Distinguishing physical cover from human use prevents misleading interpretations of mapped change.
An operating example
Use land-cover observations to screen a site, then verify its actual use with records and field context.
Illustrative application, not a live customer result or a guarantee of product availability.
What it does and does not tell you
Satellite classification does not establish ownership, permitted use or legal status.
Further reading
Primary references for the underlying concepts; the operating examples above are illustrative.