Urbanization

Urbanization is the process by which an increasing share of a population resides in urban areas and by which cities expand spatially. It encompasses demographic shifts from rural to urban settlements as well as the physical growth of urban land and infrastructure.

Drivers include economic development, industrialization, job concentration, and the availability of services in cities; rural-to-urban migration and natural population growth within urban areas contribute as well. Transportation improvements, education, and governance capacity can accelerate or slow urbanization.

Measurement uses urbanization rate, defined as the percentage of people living in urban areas, though country definitions vary. Other indicators include the size of urban agglomerations, metropolitan area boundaries, and urban land cover or the prevalence of informal settlements.

Global patterns show rapid urban growth in Asia and Africa in recent decades, with many cities expanding into sprawling metropolitan regions. In developed countries, urbanization often occurred earlier and may stabilize as shares level off, while population growth continues in some cities.

Impacts include increased economic productivity, innovation, and access to services, but also housing shortages, informal settlements, traffic congestion, pollution, social inequality, and vulnerability to climate hazards.

Policy responses emphasize urban planning, affordable housing, infrastructure investment, sustainable transport, land-use planning, and resilience to climate change. Effective urbanization requires coordinated governance, inclusive decision making, and data-informed planning across administrative levels.