Cities are undergoing a renaissance, with a huge growth in urban population, including the emergence of the ‘megacity’ (over 10 million population), the ‘metacity’ (over 20 million population) and the ‘megacity region’ (with an aggregate population over 80 million). Examples can be seen in Japan (Tokyo to Nagoya and Osaka), in China (the Pearl River Delta), and in Brazil (São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro). In 1900, about 13 per cent of the global population was urban, but by 2000 this proportion was 47 per cent, and the 50 per cent threshold was reached in 2007 when 3.3 billion people became ‘urban’. By 2030, the 60 per cent (4 billion) threshold will be crossed, and by 2050 nearly 70 per cent (6 billion) of the global population (9 billion) will be living in urban areas. This enormous urban growth is fuelled by population growth, longer lives and migration into the city. And the dynamics of urbanisation will change as the population will be young and active. Cities will provide the main sources of employment in manufacturing and service provision, the centres of social interaction, and the new growth in the knowledge economy and the networked society.
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