Summary
Highlights
Urbanization is the process where an increasing proportion of a country's inhabitants live in cities, often due to rural-urban migration. In developed countries, industrialization in the 19th century led to a surge in factory jobs in cities, drawing people from rural areas where work was scarce. This increased the urbanization level, which is the percentage of residents living in cities. The urbanization speed, however, decreases as the urbanization level rises because fewer people are left to migrate.
From the 1950s, suburbanization began as wealthy individuals moved from cities to surrounding areas due to declining inner-city conditions and increased car ownership. This led to the development of vast suburban neighborhoods, known as sub-urbs, resulting in urban sprawl where cities spread over enormous areas. This process became self-reinforcing as the wealthy left, leaving the poor in the city, which further encouraged others to move out.
Starting in the 1980s, re-urbanization occurred as people returned to cities, often drawn by renovations or gentrification that made neighborhoods more attractive, or for work, study, and leisure. This new migration has consequences for peripheral rural areas, as young people move to cities and stay, leading to an aging population in their home regions and a shortage of workers. Companies also move away due to this labor shortage, creating a cycle of departure for both people and businesses.
In some countries experiencing strong economic growth, Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have developed. These areas, typically located in cities along the coast, offer favorable terms like tax breaks for companies, facilitating easy export of goods. This economic growth attracts many people from rural areas to these cities in search of work, leading to the creation of mega-cities. Overpopulation in these areas often results in the development of slums in less favorable locations, increasing population density and shifting the population distribution towards coastal regions.