Global Urbanization, Essay Example

Levels of urbanization vary vastly from country to country. The countries with the highest urban populations tend to be the most developed and the ones with the highest rural populations, the least developed. At the top of the list for greatest urban populations are places like Singapore, Monaco, Hong Kong as well as Western Europe and North America. At the bottom are Burundi, Ethiopia, Niger, Rwanda and several island countries.

The main reason for the disparity is simply because development in itself is one of the key causes of urbanization. The world first saw mass urbanization with the industrialization of Europe. As agriculture becomes mechanized and less profitable people are forced to move to the cities to seek economic opportunity.

While the developed countries I have stated before have the highest urban populations they do not have the highest rate of urbanization. Developing nations in Africa and especially Asia are urbanizing at an astonishing rate to accommodate growth in the industrial sectors. A prime example is that of China. Until its industrialization China was a massive country of peasant farmers. Today, it is the world’s fastest growing economy and its major cities continue to grow at exponential rates. People have begun to move to the cities not only for work but also to be part of the growing middle class. Urban areas are the domain of this middle class and considered the center of culture, politics and government. As China develops, a greater percentage of the population desires the amenities of cities rather than a harsh, rural life.

In conclusion, although developed countries have larger urban populations than others, urbanization is indisputably a global trend. In 1900 the global urban population was 13%; in 2005 it was nearly 50%. No doubt this trend will continue in the future with the last remaining rural nations becoming urbanized as they develop.