UN experts report continued rapid global urbanization. Already, 54% of the world’s population lives in urban areas. By 2050, 6.3 billion people will live in cities, comprising 66% of the planet’s population. This is stated in a new report on urbanization prospects, prepared and presented by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Its authors note that in 1950, there were only 746 million city dwellers worldwide, while today there are 3.9 billion. The report states that rapid urbanization will primarily affect Africa and Asia.
The largest increases in city dwellers are expected in India, China, and Nigeria. By 2050, the number of city dwellers in India will increase by 404 million, while in China, the number of city dwellers will increase by 292 million. Experts note that in recent years, the number of megacities, defined as large urban agglomerations with populations over 10 million, has been growing worldwide. In 1990, there were ten such cities; in 2014, there were 28. Of today’s 28 megacities, 16 are in Asia, four are in Latin America, three each in Africa and Europe, and two in North America. By 2030, the world is expected to have 41 cities with populations of 10 million or more.
Today, the most populous urban agglomeration in the world is Tokyo, with a population of almost 38 million. Next comes Delhi (25 million) and Shanghai (23 million). Beijing already has a population of almost 20 million. Presenting the new report, John Wilmos, a representative of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, called for the development of national strategies in urban governance. “Managing urbanization is becoming one of the most important challenges of the 21st century,” said Wilmos.
