A world on the move to cities
Urbanization is the increase in the share of people living in cities and towns. For most of human history, nearly everyone lived in rural areas. Today, more than half of the world’s people live in urban areas, and the United Nations expects that share to keep rising.
| Year | Approximate share of world population in cities |
|---|---|
| 1800 | under 10% |
| 1950 | about 30% |
| 2007 | about 50%: the world became majority urban |
| today | over 55% |
In Canada, more than 80% of people live in urban areas, and about three-quarters live in large urban centres.
Why people move to cities
People move because of push and pull factors.
| Push factors (from rural areas) | Pull factors (to cities) |
|---|---|
| fewer jobs, especially as farming becomes mechanized | more and better-paid jobs |
| limited services (hospitals, universities) | education, health care, entertainment |
| natural disasters, drought, conflict | perceived safety and opportunity |
| isolation | family and community networks; cultural diversity |
Patterns around the world
- In wealthier countries such as Canada and the United States, urbanization happened mainly during industrialization in the 1800s and 1900s and is now high and stable.
- In many countries in Africa and Asia, cities are growing very quickly today.
- Megacities with more than 10 million people include Tokyo, Delhi, Shanghai, São Paulo, Mexico City, Cairo, Lagos and Mumbai. Many are in the Global South.
Benefits of urbanization
- jobs and economic growth; cities produce most of the world’s economic output
- easier to provide services like schools, hospitals and transit efficiently
- innovation, culture and diversity
- dense cities can use less energy per person than spread-out suburbs
Challenges of urbanization
| Challenge | Examples |
|---|---|
| Housing affordability | rising rents and home prices in cities such as Toronto and Vancouver |
| Informal settlements | about one billion people worldwide live in slums or informal housing |
| Traffic and pollution | congestion, air pollution, long commutes |
| Strain on infrastructure | water, sewers, transit and power can’t keep up with growth |
| Urban sprawl | low-density suburbs consume farmland and natural areas and increase car dependence |
| Inequality | divides between wealthy and poor neighbourhoods |
| Heat | urban heat islands make cities hotter than surrounding areas |
Population change: the demographic transition
The demographic transition model describes how birth and death rates change as countries develop.
| Stage | Birth rate | Death rate | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Pre-industrial | high | high | stable, low growth |
| 2. Early expanding | high | falling (better food, medicine) | rapid growth |
| 3. Late expanding | falling | low | growth slows |
| 4. Low stationary | low | low | stable |
| 5. Declining (proposed) | very low | low or rising | shrinking, aging |
Canada and the United States are in stage 4, with low birth rates. Their populations grow mainly through immigration. Countries such as Japan and Italy have aging, shrinking populations.
Planning better cities
- Smart growth: building upward rather than outward, mixing homes, shops and jobs
- Public transit and active transportation: subways, light rail, bike lanes, walkable neighbourhoods
- Affordable housing: zoning changes to allow more homes, and public and non-profit housing
- Green infrastructure: parks, trees and green roofs to reduce heat and flooding
- Inclusive planning: involving residents, especially those most affected
Try it yourself
- Interview a family member about where they grew up. Was it rural or urban? Why did they move?
- Map how your nearest city has grown over the past 50 years.
- Compare a fast-growing megacity with a Canadian city: population, growth rate and challenges.
- Design a plan to make your community more sustainable as it grows.
Quick recap
- Urbanization means a growing share of people live in cities.
- More than half the world, and over 80% of Canadians, live in urban areas.
- Push and pull factors drive people to cities.
- Cities bring opportunities and challenges such as housing costs and sprawl.
- The demographic transition explains changing birth and death rates.