Urbanization refers to the movement of people from rural areas to cities and the
changes that accompany it. Areas that are experiencing the greatest growth in
urbanization are countries in Asia and Africa. Asia alone has close to half of the
world’s urban inhabitants even though 60% of its population still lives in rural
areas. Africa, which is generally considered overwhelmingly rural, now has a
larger urban population than North America. Reasons for this include access to
jobs, higher standards of living, easier access to health care, mechanization of
agriculture, and access to education. Nations with the most rapid increases in
their urbanization rates are generally those with the most rapid economic growth.
Figure 7.11 Projected worldwide urban growth from 1950–2030Urbanization
Pros Cons