Megacities
In 2006 the statistics showed us that more people were living in urban areas, rather than rural areas. Since then, the immigration to the megacities have continued and increased. It is estimated that there will be 26 megacities within 10 years, 22 of them will probably be in developing countries. A megacity is a metropolitan, urban area with a population over 10 million inhabitants. Some definitions also set a minimum level of 2000 people per square meter. We often imagine that living in the big cities is like on television, urban and trendy. However in megacities you can’t look past the fact that there is a number of homeless, poor people.
In the 1800s it is estimated that only 2% of the population lived in urban areas, further in 2000, 47% of the world’s population lived in urban areas. It is estimated that within 2030, over 60 % of the population will be living in urban areas. Today, in 2011 there are 21 existence megacities. Asia is the region were the numbers of an urban population is biggest. Why it is so, is because poor people seek work and try escaping poverty in the bigger cities, in hope of a better life. Today the three biggest megacities in the world today is Tokyo, Guangzhou and Seoul.
Here you can see two pictures of two quit different megacities. Look at the contrast between the cities. One of the pictures is from trendy and modern New York. The other picture is from Cairo in Egypt, the 16th biggest megacity in the world today.
Susanna:)
Very good Susanna! A lot of important information you got there.
SvarSlettYes you are right, those are two very different cities. Interesting to know how different it must be to live in a city like Cairo. New York is much easier to imagine even if it is a lot different from our Little town Sandvika. Lot of numbers to keep track of, think you did a good job!
SvarSlett