8% of The World Population Projected To Live in Urban Areas by 2050, Says UN

8% of the world population projected to live in urban areas by
2050, says UN
16 May 2018, New York
Today, 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to
increase to 68% by 2050. Projections show that urbanization, the gradual shift in residence of the
human population from rural to urban areas, combined with the overall growth of the world’s
population could add another 2.5 billion people to urban areas by 2050, with close to 90% of this
increase taking place in Asia and Africa, according to a new United Nations data set launched
today.
Today, the most urbanized regions include Northern America (with 82% of its population living
in urban areas in 2018), Latin America and the Caribbean (81%), Europe (74%) and Oceania
(68%). The level of urbanization in Asia is now approximating 50%. In contrast, Africa remains
mostly rural, with 43% of its population living in urban areas.
Cities ranking and mega cities
Tokyo is the world’s largest city with an agglomeration of 37 million inhabitants, followed by
New Delhi with 29 million, Shanghai with 26 million, and Mexico City and São Paulo, each with
around 22 million inhabitants. Today, Cairo, Mumbai, Beijing and Dhaka all have close to 20
million inhabitants. By 2020, Tokyo’s population is projected to begin to decline, while Delhi is
projected to continue growing and to become the most populous city in the world around 2028.
By 2030, the world is projected to have 43 megacities with more than 10 million inhabitants,
most of them in developing regions. However, some of the fastest-growing urban agglomerations
are cities with fewer than 1 million inhabitants, many of them located in Asia and Africa. While
one in eight people live in 33 megacities worldwide, close to half of the world’s urban dwellers
reside in much smaller settlements with fewer than 500,000 inhabitants.
Sustainable urbanization is key to successful development

Understanding the key trends in urbanization likely to unfold over the coming years is crucial to
the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including efforts to forge
a new framework of urban development.
As the world continues to urbanize, sustainable development depends increasingly on the

successful management of urban growth, especially in low-income and lower-middle-income
countries where the pace of urbanization is projected to be the fastest. Many countries will face
challenges in meeting the needs of their growing urban populations, including for housing,
transportation, energy systems and other infrastructure, as well as for employment and basic
services such as education and health care. Integrated policies to improve the lives of both urban
and rural dwellers are needed, while strengthening the linkages between urban and rural areas,
building on their existing economic, social and environmental ties.
To ensure that the benefits of urbanization are fully shared and inclusive, policies to manage
urban growth need to ensure access to infrastructure and social services for all, focusing on the
needs of the urban poor and other vulnerable groups for housing, education, health care, decent
work and a safe environment.
About the data set
Tokyo is home to Japan’s financial markets, the headquarters of many leading Japanese
multinationals, the most prominent names in Japan’s consumer retail landscape.
In the 1980s, Tokyo took large steps in economic growth as a result of its increasingly global
economic activity and the emergence of the information society. Tokyo became one of the
world’s most active major cities, boasting attractions such as cutting-edge technology,
information, culture and fashion, as well as a high level of public safety (Tokyo Metropolitan
Government, 2018).
Tokyo is one of the world’s great cities. While its history might be comparatively short – a mere
four centuries – the city has already played many roles: samurai stronghold, imperial capital and
modern metropolis. Its latest identity, city of the future – as it is often portrayed in manga, anime
and think pieces – is just another example of Tokyo's protean nature.
Tokyo’s ranking as the world’s number one city goes well beyond the sheer scale of its
population. Its lively Shibuya district is home to the world’s busiest intersection, a vibrant
pedestrian scramble which people traverse from every direction at the same time.
BUSINESS
Tokyo’s famously bustling Tsukiji Market plays fishmonger to the world as the largest wholesale
fish and seafood market on the planet.
Yet, despite its immense proportions, many worldly, well-traveled observers marvel at how well
Tokyo functions. Tokyo’s subway trains, packed to the gills during peak rush hour travel times,
are known for arriving and departing with impressive precision. Moreover, the city manages to
keep a comfortable handle on pollution, crime and other challenges that often accompany such
immense urban environments.

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8% of The World Population Projected To Live in Urban Areas by 2050, Says UN

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8% of the world population projected to live in urban areas by

Cities ranking and mega cities

Sustainable urbanization is key to successful development

As the world continues to urbanize, sustainable development depends increasingly on the

About the data set

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