For the first time in history, most of humanity lives in cities — and the urban share keeps rising (heading toward ~68% by 2050, UN). The fastest growth is in the developing world, driven by rural→urban migration and natural increase.
This concentrates people (and their consumption & waste) onto a small share of Earth’s surface — powerful for economies, but a heavy local footprint.
| Mega-city | Country | Population (approx) |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | Japan | ~37 m |
| Delhi | India | ~33 m |
| Shanghai | China | ~29 m |
| Dhaka | Bangladesh | ~23 m |
| São Paulo | Brazil | ~22 m |
| Cairo | Egypt | ~22 m |
| Mexico City | Mexico | ~22 m |
| Mumbai | India | ~21 m |
Cities cluster where conditions favour them — coasts, rivers, fertile land, trade routes, and existing cities that attract still more people & investment.
Cities are old. Uruk (Mesopotamia, ~5,000 years ago) was one of the world's earliest cities — made possible by farming surpluses that freed people from growing food. Surplus → specialisation → trade → the city.
Settlements evolved: early village → ancient city → industrial city → modern mega-city — each stage tied to changes in food, transport & economy.
Note one opportunity and one challenge of rapid urbanisation.
Cities are the most efficient way to house billions (shared services, less land) — yet mega-cities strain housing, transport & the environment. Are mega-cities a solution or a problem?
"Describe the spatial pattern of world settlement and explain the processes producing rapid urbanisation." (~600 words)