An Urbanizing World

Abstract

Managing urban population change will be one of the worlds most important challenges in the next few decades. In less developed countries where 80% of the worlds population resides central issues will be on how to cope with an unprecedented increase in the number of people living in urban areas and the growing concentration of these urbanites in large cities with millions of residents. In more developed countries such as the US the urban feature involve the dealing with complex changes in the composition of urban populations. This issue of the Population Bulletin examines trends of urban population change in less developed and more developed regions. Among more developed countries particular attention is given to the US. The report describes the demographic sources of urban growth in less developed countries traits that distinguish urban from rural populations in these countries and some of the critical challenges posed by the urban demographic revolution. Policies to manage cities and urban growth are discussed; incorporating concepts of the city that have recently emerged in urban population studies.