What are the factors behind the rise of megacities
What are the factors behind the rise of Mega Cities, and to what extent are these urban areas sustainable?
Megacities, defined by population, have at least 10 million inhabitants. In recent years, megacities in the developing world have grown rapidly with little or no planning. As a result, they face cries of infrastructure, poverty and unemployment. The driving force for the rise of megacities is mass urbanisation between rural – urban areas, as well as rates of natural increase that are higher in urban than rural areas. An example of a megacity is Mexico City, population estimates range between 16-30 million depending on where the boundaries are drawn. Either way, Mexico City is now considered the world’s 3rd largest city and still growing; birth rates are high and 1,100 new residents move to the capital every day.
Mexico City was my selected Mega City case study. Mexico City has seen a huge rise in population, from a population of 1.6 million in 1940, it increased to 3.1 million in 1950, 5.4 million in 1960, 9.1 million in 1970, 13.9 million in 1980, 15.6 million in 1995 and then anything between 16-30 million is estimated at the present time. Migration has always been more important than natural increase in fuelling the population growth in Mexico City. This rapid growth in Mexico City was the outcome of policies that greatly favoured the concentration of industrial production in Mexico City. Mexico City had access to electricity, oil and other power sources, the provision of water and drainage facilities, and was the focus of major road investment programmes. These factors differ from the growth in other Megacities, Dhaka has a population of more than 13million but natural increase was a stronger factor compared to urbanisation for this city. Nearly half of its inhabitants live below the poverty line. Poor education and in many cases no education leads to many woman getting pregnant and having many children at a young age.
Even though the large population
Megacities, defined by population, have at least 10 million inhabitants. In recent years, megacities in the developing world have grown rapidly with little or no planning. As a result, they face cries of infrastructure, poverty and unemployment. The driving force for the rise of megacities is mass urbanisation between rural – urban areas, as well as rates of natural increase that are higher in urban than rural areas. An example of a megacity is Mexico City, population estimates range between 16-30 million depending on where the boundaries are drawn. Either way, Mexico City is now considered the world’s 3rd largest city and still growing; birth rates are high and 1,100 new residents move to the capital every day.
Mexico City was my selected Mega City case study. Mexico City has seen a huge rise in population, from a population of 1.6 million in 1940, it increased to 3.1 million in 1950, 5.4 million in 1960, 9.1 million in 1970, 13.9 million in 1980, 15.6 million in 1995 and then anything between 16-30 million is estimated at the present time. Migration has always been more important than natural increase in fuelling the population growth in Mexico City. This rapid growth in Mexico City was the outcome of policies that greatly favoured the concentration of industrial production in Mexico City. Mexico City had access to electricity, oil and other power sources, the provision of water and drainage facilities, and was the focus of major road investment programmes. These factors differ from the growth in other Megacities, Dhaka has a population of more than 13million but natural increase was a stronger factor compared to urbanisation for this city. Nearly half of its inhabitants live below the poverty line. Poor education and in many cases no education leads to many woman getting pregnant and having many children at a young age.
Even though the large population