17

Urbanization

Urbanization is no longer a phenomenon inhabitants become urban. It refers toa change

peculiar only to certain parts of the world rather in both place and people, but in fact it has been
it is a worldwide phenomenon. It is an measured and expressed chiefly in the terms of
important index of socio-economic structure of population census statistics that purport or are
a region as urban centres have special role to presumed to distinguish inhabitants of towns
play in its development. Urban centres being and cities from those of the rural countryside.
nodes of settlements are the real foci of social Urbanization means that an increasing
contacts and economic growth performing a proportion of human society becomes towns
number of important activities (Maurya, S.D. folk, and as this happens towns grow in
and G. Devi, 1984). Cities have always been population, spread in area, and make an ever
considered the nucleus of human civilization increasing impact upon the countryside, both
and culture. However, they owe their existence, upon its appearance and upon the life of its
origin and growth to the functions they perform inhabitarnts. More and more of the landscape
for themselves as well as for the areas becomes townscape and people come to live in
surrounding them. However, it is the nature, an environment that is both physically and
types and variety of activities that make them socially urban". Thus, Smailes describes two
distinct from the areas called rural. notions of urbanization-one geographical and
the other sociological which are closely related
1.CONCEPT OF URBANIZATION and are certainly not identical. The former
relates to the place and the latter to people. The
The term urbanization is used by geographical concept refers to the grouping of
sociologists, economists, urban planners and people in concentrations that are different in
8e0graphers from different view points. Most size, functions and institutions from rural
Othe studies relating to urbanization have been clusters of agricultural populatioin where as
the sociological concept relates to the distinctive
hade in social, economic and demographic
context. Smailes (1975) refers that way of life that differs from the agricultural life
"urbanization is the process whereby land and of the countryside.
(239)
290 Human Gcography
Lampard (1965) opines that there are generally larger non-agricultural communiies
three concepts of urbanization which have This conception gives primarily recognition to
currently been used in the social sciences : the the differential ordering of
occupations within
agiven territorial space (Lampard, 1965,
behavioural, the structural, and the 52)
demographic. The behavioural concept is This concept is based on the fact that there i
concerned with the experience of individuals direct correlation between the phases of
over tinme and with patterns of behaviour. The economic development and the urbanization.
structural concept is employed to the activities A number of interpretations of urban origins
of the whole population and is primarily are set out in such a way. "Urbanization is seen
concerned with the change in its economic therefore as a product of increasirng economic
structure. The demographic concept is specialization and advancing technology. The
primarily related to population concentration. only way it is possible to advance from a
Thus, however, one may consider the concept subsistence basis is by specialization of
of urbanization in three way : the social, the economic activities. The linkage between
economic, and the demographic. specialisms necessitate the accumulation of
.(1) Social concept:The first of the three people and this is the process of urbanization
concepts is perhaps the most well known and (Carter, 1975, 29).
is primarily related to Louis Wirth's Usually in rural areas, functions are
writing'Urbanism as a way of life' (Wirth, L., mostly traditional (primary) but in urban
1938). Wirth formulated a theory of urbanisn centres they are more diversified. It is quite
which was based on existing knowledge of obvious that rural occupation is dominated by
social groups. From social and cultural view agriculture and its associated activities while
points urbanization means a way of life in urban centres the main activities are
different from those of rural or country manufacturing, trade, commerce, transport,
dwellers. Thus, the process of changing of communication, and so many professional,
behaviour patterns fromn rural to urban is personal, official and institutional services.
considered as urbanization which includes Thus the secondary, tertiary and quaternary
activities are the characteristics of urban
qualitative and quantitative improvements in
the systems of housing, water-supply, occupational structure.
sanitation, means of transport and
(3) Demographic concept : The third
communication, administrative and dimension of urbanization is commonly taken
educational institutions together with many in demographic sense which postulates that
other micro aspects of life as culture and urbanization is a process of population
traditions. It is only thus that the urban concentration. Making a study of urbanization
dwellers feel that they are urban and are living in India, Kingley Davis states that urbanization
in an urban centre. usually is said to be taking place when the
It is argued that the ideas of social change proportion of total population that is residing
have too much relevance to be rejected although in places defined as urban is rising or when
they cannot be accepted as universal. However, urban population is growing at faster rate than
this concept is not applicable to quantitative the average rate of growth for a nation (Davis,
evaluation and is of quite subjective nature. K.,1962, 1). Ashish Bose has studied the process
Likewise, the scientific testing of urbanization of urbanization in India in details. In his
is not possible, contention, 'urbanization in demographic
(2) Economic concept: The second sense, is an increase in the proportion of the
concept of urbanization is economic which urban population (U) to the total population
relates to the movement of people out of (1)over a period of time. As long as U/T increases
agricultural communities into other and there is urbanization (Bose, A., 1973, 3).
 Urbanization 291

However, by lndian as wellIas toreign scholars to be used in measuring the level of

studyingthe process of urbanization, the urbanization :
increasein urban population is generally (1) Inerease In the Number of Towns :
reognized and commonly taken Increase tn the number of towns either by orlgin
important index of measuring level of of new towns or by rural urbanization is a
urbanizationi in any region. It is argued that
theincrese or growth offurban population may simple but important indicator of urbanization
in an area or country.
the result ot (1) natural growth (the births
overdeaths),(ii) increase in the: number of towns (2) Positive Increase in the Proportion of
(either by origin of new towns or by rural Urban to Total Populatlon : An increase in the
banization), and (ii)migration of people fronm proportion of urban population to the total
aral to urban areas.
Population over a period of time is considered
most important indicator of growing
Thus, it isquite evident that not a single urbanization. It presents the level of
boit a combined set of socio-economic and urbanization in a particular region. The
demographic factors should be used in increase of urban population in a region may
measuring the process of urbanization in a
be the result of (1) natural growth, (2) increase
zion. Mitchell reteres to urbanization as being in the number of towns, and (3) migration of
the process of becoming urban, moving to population from rural to urban areas.
cities, changing from agricultural to other
pursuits common to cities and corresponding Levelof urbanization urban population x100
changing of behaviour patterns (Mitchell, 1969, totalpopulation
3). It would not be out of place to cite Prakasha (3) Increase in Urban Population : If the
Rao who had studied closely the three distinct
process of urbanization in India : (a) the urban population of a region is increasing, it is
metropolitanization, (b) the commercialization the indication of growing urbanization. This
indicator is not much important because for
or intermediate urbanization, and (c) rural
urbanization or subsistence urbanization growing urbanization rate of increase of urban
(Prakasha Rao, 1973). By the process of population must be higher than rural or total
metropolitanization the large cities like population.
Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad (4) Proportional Increase of Population
Ahmedabad etc. are emerging into of Different Urban Classes : The average size of
metropolitan areas because of heavy migration urban centres has been used as a measure of
of people from ruralas well as from smmall and degree of urbanization at various spatial levels.
medium-size towns. In the commercialization The average size of an urban centre may be
or intermediate urbanization, small towns are computed by dividing the total urban
entering into medium and large size towns and population of the concerned region by the total
cities. The third process-rural urbanization number of urban centres.
means the formation of new towns either by By the process of rural urbanization, the
natural growth of villages or by administrative number of new towns are increased mainly by
ot political decisions. th¹ natural growth of villages. By the process
of metropolitanization, large towns and big
2. INDICATORS OF URBANIZATION cities are emerging into metropolitan areas. In
the intermediate urbanization, small towns are
The process of urbanization has many transforming into medium size towns and
dimensions. Various statistical indicators are cities.
tDed to measure the level of urbanization in a (5) Urban Density: Urban density has
also been used as an indicator of level of
region.Following are the common indicators
 292 Human Geography
urbanization. Urban density is calculated by the city as a centre of
dividing the total urban population by the total opportunity, be it
economic, social or political. R. Jones (1975)
area of the concerned region. Thus, the average states that "for some, this perception
number of urban population per square based upon a correct knowledge ofwillthe be
kilometre or per square mile is calculated that absorptive capacity of the urban economy for
denote the level of urbanization in the region. people with their own particular skills and in
their own particular age-groups. But for many
Urban density = total urban population the move to the town will be
influenced more
total area by vague notions that the town will be able to
provide them with a livelihood once they get
3. DETERMINANTS OF URBANIZATION there, and perhaps also that there is indeed
nowhere else for them to go if the rural
Urbanization is the function of social and agricultural society in which they have been
economic changes that take place through time. living can no longer offer economic support.
Development of technology and means of That such vague hopes are often ill-founded is
transportation is also a significant factor in shown by the way in which so many urban
promoting urbanization of any area. Following dwellers, in developing countries especially,
are the major factors that promote the process remain economically under active or inactive"
of urbanization. (Jones, R., 1975, 25).
A number of studies suggest that rural
(1) Migration of Population push is a major factor in the growth of cities in
developing countries like India. Urbanization
Migrationis a key process underlying the in these areas has not been associated with
growth of urbanization. The process of dramatic increase in levels of living as in the
urbanization is closely related with rural to developed countries of the West. "Accelerating
urban migration of population. In almost urban growth in many of the underdeveloped
developing countries of the world where rate areas therefore, is not so much the product of
of urban growth is relatively higher, the urban economic development and pull of population
ward migration is usually high. The rate of into cities from rural areas but rather is the
natural increase or reproductive change is not result of the push of population from troubled
very different in rural and urban areas. In the and insecure rural areas" (Hauser, P. M., 1965,
urban centres both birth rate and death rate 37).
are somewhat lower than that of rural areas so The partition of the Indian sub-continent
that the rate of population growth from natural into India and Pakistan resulted an extra
increase is roughly the same in both areas. ordinary movement of population since, 1947.
"Rural to urban migration is by far the major In both the countries, refugee movment
component of urbanization and is the chief resulted in considerable change in the
mechanism by which all of the world's population structure of certain towns and cities.
urbanization trends have been accomplished" The refugees settled themselves mainly in the
(Boque and Zachariah, 1962). urban centres, thus promoting the level of
The urbanization was in the past largely urbanization both in India and Pakistan. In
proceeded by means of rural-urban migration Independent India, rural to urban migration is
and this feature is still highly significant in the a very wide spread phenomenon. The
process of urbanization in many parts of the unemployed and emnployed persons with lower
world particularly in the developing countries income in agricultural activities in rural areas
ofthe East. The urbanward migration of people are pushed towards urban centres particularly
would seem to be generated by perception of to cities in search of their livelihood and to earn
 Urbanization 293

higherincome. Various types of urban facilities different

like higher education, technical and professional aspects. Big industries are generally
established in and around the urban places
trainings, hospitals, sanitation, diversified which attract so many people to work in. Thus,
nloyment avenues etc. are also pulling rural the rural population tends to concentrate in
peopleto adopturban life. Thus, the push force
from rural side and pull force from urban side urban places which promote urbanization. On
are responsible for urban growth in addition the other hand, industrialization has led to the
the natural growth of existing towns and need for expanding secondary and tertiary
activities which, in turn, have also promoted
cities. urbanization in other areas, characterising a
Thus, in the current forms of new era of urban growth in different parts of
urbanization, however, there prevail those the world particularly in the industrialized
which are connected mainly and directly with countries.
specific migration : from rural to urban areas, Urbanization in developed countries like
from smaller into larger towns and cities, and Great Britain, U.S.A., U.S,S.R., Japan, Germany,
finally, within the very large urban France etc. has been largely promoted in modern
agglomerations (Dziewonski, 1975, 30). Rural times by industrialization and the resultant
urban migration is still the most typical form development of trade and commerce. In Britain
of urbanization, especially characteristic for the concentration in towns was stimulated by
developing countries of the world in general and the introduction of the factory system which at
for India in particula. this time of inefficient processing and poor
communications necessitated location close to
(2) Industrialization raw materials and encouraged firms in an
industry to take advantages of external
There is a very close and positive economies of scale by settingup in proximity
correlation between industrialization and to each other (Champion, 1975, 48-49).
urbanization. Likewise, growth of services is
also an important promoting factor for further (3) Stage of Economic Development
urbanizatiorn in an area. In developed countries
of the West, industrialization was the The stage of economic development is
mainspring of urbanization in past and has closely associated with the stage of scientific
been effectively reinforced by modernization. and technological advancement. The economic
Studying the process of urbanization in Britain, determinants of urbanization include the type
Smailes states that the industrialization began of economy, commercialized and mechanization
in Britain earliest and was most thoroughly. of agriculture, the extent of diversification of
worked out there before the twentieth century economy, the stage of econmic advancement
and the age of modern road transport. and the development of means of
Concomitant urbanization also proceeded more transportation and communication.
fapidly and furthest in Britain so that almost The economic base of towns and cities is
eighty per cent of the population was recorded very much different from that of the
as urban by the beginning of this century. Since. countryside. Urban places are the centre of
then however, the figure has not altered secondary, tertiary and quaternary activities
Significantly (Smailes, A. E.,1961). while rural'areas (villages) are dominated by
the population grówthand rural exodus agriculture and other primary activities,
helped to promote urbanization, Chandna observed: "The agrarian societies
industrialization is, perhaps
nportant element to be considered in the
the most with a high incidence of subsistence economy,
small and dwindling agricultural landholdings,
Pocess. The role of industrialization involves primitive agricultural technolgy and very little
 294 Human Geography

diversification of economy display very low any region or nation. It is considered as

degree of urbanization, where the urban places of improved social status and I way off an index
are small sized, widely spaced administrative have always been considered the life. Cities
headquarters. On the contrary, the socieites human civilization and l culture which nucloweeustheirof
which have an industrial base and whose even existence to the functions they perform
not only
the agricultural sector is highly mechanized, for themselves but for the areas
commercialized and scientifically rationalised them. Thus, the influences of cities onsurrounding
exhibit a high degree of urbanization with areas extend according to role they play.rural
The
urban centres having a large size" (Chandna, areas beyond the boundaries of urban
2009, 380). are also influenced by urban economic centres
and
(4) Means of Transportation social systems. The transition zone between th
pure urban and pure rural land uses are
The means of transport and described as urban fringe or rural-urban fringe
communication plays a vital role in the origin which has important contacts with its central
and growth of urbanization. The processes of city or town. The cities have tend to expand in
economic development and urbanization are their fringe areas and the limit of fringe aneas
accelerated by the increasing facilities of further extends towards rural areas. These
transportation and communication or the urban fringe areas are necessarily under
regional mobility. The regional mobility has influence of their central urban centres.
two way effect upon the development of
urbanization:In the beginning the development Process of social change in any region may
of means of transportation and communication be initiated by a variety of factors such as
creates the urban concentration even in rural advancement of trade and transport facilities,
areas and later it may help in accelerating political changes, religious movements,
commuting activities among towns and cities industrialization and urbanization, or a
and between countryside and urban places. combination of some or all of these. Urban
Thus, however, development of means of influences flowing from an urban centre form
transport and communication is an essential the main stimulus of change in surrounding
factor for the development of urbanization. villages. Thus, the feedback effect of
urbanization on villages is of great significance
(5) Government Policies in understanding changes in the traditional
rural social structure. A. L. Epstein (1967) has
The process of urbanization is also indentified the feed-back process concerning the
influenced by the government policies and influence of urban growth for social change, as
decisions. When government decides to one of the aspects of the process of urbanization.
establish a big industrial plant in backward The increasing population of a city or
rural areas, it helps in promoting metropolis creates a larger demand for such
inustrialization and urbanization. Usually, commodities as vegetables, dairy, poultry
near the industrial plant, a town of considerable products etc. and thus the city absorbs villages
size develops in a very short period (only in situated in its fringe and has tend to push the
few years). Not only this, government can hinterlarnd farther. Thus, the city not only offers
establish a new town particularly for the opportunities for the villagers to sell their
purpose of administration or defence. different agricultural and other commodities
4. URBANIZATION AND SOCIO but also opens up employment opportunities
ECONOMIC CHANGE and facilities for buying urban manufactured
goods and services. Around so many Indian
Urbanization is an important aspect of cities like Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi,
the process of economic and social,change in Hyderabad etc., agricultural land has been
 Urbanization 295

converted into industrial and commercial or rigidity of social customs, rituals, values and
other urban land uses. inhibitions which are more powerful in rural
The economic opportunities offered by a areas. In social change, the role played by
developing city has initiated a series of new education, advanced scientific knowledge and
activities for the villagers, signalling a point of new technology is most important which
departure from their traditional occupations. primarily radiates from urban centres to rural
For instance, around large cities in India, areas. Thus, the process of urbanization has
villages have entered the market economy not brought a considerable change in social life of
only by selling vegetables and milk products people. Besides anumber of mal-practices have
but also by selling labour. The cities have also reached people in rural areas which were
opened up for the villagers a wider range of absent before some decades when they were
employment opportunities to choose from the not or very little influenced by the light of
range offered by more commercialization of modern urbanization.
agriculture. The Indian citiesparticularly
Urban emnployment and development of metropolitan cities are much influenced by
trade and comnerce have not only led to a Western culture and now city culture has
greater differentiation of occupational roles mostly become the synonym of Western
than that caused by commercialization of modern culture which is some what different
agriculture, but have also resulted in different from our Indian culture. Villagers influenced
combinations of occupations on the one hand by any city are engaged in copying life style,
food
and occupational mobility on the other (Rao, habit and behaviour of urban people.
M.S.A., 1974, 513).
Change in occupation is one of the indices 5. ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF
for a change in the status of the people which URBANIZATION
has brought about a shift in the social and
economic status of the people in rural and urtban The process of urbanization in the world
both area. Villagers have not only beern affected has a long history. Within the course of history,
by occupational mobility caused by some periods have been more favourable than
urbanization but are also confronted by a others to the rise of urban centres. "Brisk town
growth is noticed in times of busy trade
variety of goods and services the cities offer.
There is a wide range of possibilities in which movements, at times whn internal and external
they choose to spend the incomes acquiring colonisation has brought on human
through new economicgains. displacements and migrations. But it is noticed
also in time of insecurity, when some
Modern urban occupation has a prestige communities have been driven to adopt this
element and some are more prestigious than manner of uniting for defence." (Perpillou, 1986,
others. The white-collar workers are 478).
differentiated from the manual workers. Besides (1) The Ancient Period : The urban
status differentiation, urban employment has centres were originated during the prehistoric
led to the creation of a category of commuters period when primitive man started
with an identifiable style of life, which is domestication of plants and animals around 10
somewhat different from that of non thousand years ago. In prehistoric and historic
commuters. Each caste has become highly periods, numerous permanent settlements were
differentiated on the basis of new status established in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Grece,
components (Roa, M.S.A., 1974,517). Indus valley (India), China and Central
In India, the influence of increasing America. In these areas, agrarian communities
urbanization has reduced considerably the eventually gave rise to urban communities and
 296 Human Geography
urban centres. The excess production of food (3) ModernPeriod:The modern period
grains was perhaps, the main reason for the forms a third period in the history of
development of urbanization in prehistoric urbanization. Since the Age of Discovery, the
period. Ur and Babylon in Mesopotamia, economic development of the world has steadilw
Thebes and Alexandria in Egypt, Athens in favoured the growth of urbanisation and the
Greece, Harappa and Mohenjodaro in India strengthening urban functions. Since the
were noted prehistoric cities of the world. Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century,
In ancient times the increase in the the introduction of machine age its large.
number and size of urban centres occurred at scale industry has added to townswithand
the time of the two great colonizing periods of old countriesan enormous flood of cities in
the Greeks and of the Romans. As early as the "The swarming in all parts of thepopulation.of
seventh century B. C. there were many cities world
Europeans, imbued with urban civilization and
boardering the Aegean Sea. The Greek natural founders of cities, has given birth to
colonizing movement derived its energy from large numbers of new towns, first in North
the expansion of trade which promoted the America, then throughout the southern
growth of towns and cities. These towns were hemisphere, and more recently in Soviet Asia
cyrene, Neapolis, Alexandria, Salonica, Priene, and in the frozenregions of the north of Canada
Damascus etc. Various Roman Çolonists and of Siberia" (Perpillou, 1986, 482).
founded a sprinkling of towns ovr vast In modern time, urban
territories particularly along big rivers. and growth was
main traffic routes. Amongst Roman cities provoked by the development of industry due
Aosta, Turin, Autun, Lyon, Mainz, strasburg, to machinery and coal. Similarly, the
Lincoln, Chester, York, Istambul, Antioch, improvement brought about by modern means
of transport -and communication and the
Timgad etc. were important. With the fall of apprearance of various new trade routes have
Roman empire, the organization and security definitely strengthened all trade centres and
were destroyed and consequently many cities urban places. The modern trend of urbanization
were deserted throughout western Europe. has profoundly transformd the structure of
(2) The Medieval Period:The towns and various countries of the world, though in
cities in Europe reemerged in medieval period. varying degrees. In Europe and Anglo-America,
During medieval period a whole swarm of little the districts
in
which there was an outburst of
towns sprang up spontaneously which were urbanization coinside with industrial areas. In
usually placed under the protection of a feudal twentieth century, some Asian countries and
stronghold. Some medieval towns were also the U.S.S.R., have passed
founded during periods of colonisation. After through an
the eleventh century the European
extraordinary spell of increase in the number
and size of towns.
countries
gained great increase in their overseas trade. Africa came latest in the field of
Consequently, the West European countries urbanization but is now undergoing an
were linked by trade and the merchants travels
which played a vital role in the revival of towns extraordinary development of nw towns
which are growing
and cities. Thus, there was a sudden surge in continually due to a regular
influx of population.
urbanization. At the end of thirteenth century, Before 1930, Africa had
towns only on its coasts but now it has
Paris, London, Geneva, Milan, Venice and towns with populations exceeding some 50
Colonge were important cities of Europe. A population. Major cities in Africa are1,00,000
Cairo
number of European cities kept their leading Nairobi, Mombasa, Bulawayo, Duala,
part as a Christian capital particularly in Italy Abidian, Logos, Accra, Addis Ababa,
such as Venice, Geneva, Milan, Rome and
Florrence.
Leopoldville,
Pretoria etc. Luanda, Cape Town, Natal,
 Urbanization 297

Thus, in modern age, the accelerating started in the beginning of the nineteenth
urbanization is resulting in a redistribution century which obtained very fast speed after
of population throughout the world. In industrial revolution. In the end of nineteenth
general, every country of the world century, 13.6 per cent of the world's population
is experiencing an increasing proportion of was living in urban places of 5000 and 5.5
urban to total population after Second World percent in the cities of 1,00,000 or more
War. The number of million cities is growing population. In the middle of the twentieth
continually, and the oldest of them continue to century, about 30 percent of the world's
become distended with new immigrants. population was found inhabiting in towns of
5000 or more, while cities of 1,00,000 inhabited
6. PATTERNS OF URBANIZATION IN nearly 13 per cent of total population of the
THE WORLD world. In the end of twentieth century, the
world's population crossed the limit of 6000
The growth pattern of urbanization in the million and its 48.0 percent was living in urban
world as a whole isshown in Table 17.1.In 1800 places of 5000 and 25.0 per cent in the cities of
A.D., total population of the world was some 1,00,000. It is also estimated that for 2025,
900 million and its about 3.0 percent was about 57 percent of the world's population
residing in urban places with 5000 inhabitants. would be urban which may rise to 66 percent
The rapid growth in urban population was in 2050.

Table 17.1
Trend of Growth of Urban Population in the world (1800-2000)

Region Percentage of urban to total population

In cities of In towns of In towns of
1,00,000 + 20,000 + 5000+
1800 1.7 2.4 3.0
1850 2.3 4.3 6.4
1900 5.5 9.2 13.6
1950 13.1 20.9 29.8
1960 20.1 27.1 31.6
2000 (estimated) 25.0 38.0 48.0
Source : (1) Gerald Breeze :Urbanization in Developing Countries, 1966.
(2) U.N. Demographic Year Book, 1992.

Table 17.2 illustrates that among the towns and cities. The New World is closely
continents, North America and South America followed by Europe (68 percent) and Oceania
are the most urbanized continents with above (72 percent).
80 per cent of their total population residing in
298 Human Geography
75°
N
H60° 30° 430° 60
180°E Tropic
of Fquator ropic.of
Capricon S

Cancer 180°E
Pacific
Ocean

150°
150°

8000
120°
120°

Kilometres
90° 4000
90°
Ocean
Indian

60°
World
60
the
in
30° Urbaniz
Arctic
Oçean
30°

0 T Patterno

30° Regional
Atlantic
Ocean
17.1:
600
60° Fig.

90°

90°

120° %Urban/
Total
population

Pacific 120°
Ocean
150
W 75 -5250
50-
75
+ 25
> 150
W

75 N 60° 30°
30° 60°
S
 Urbanization 299

Table 17.2
Level of Urbanization by continents in the World (1950-2050)
Continents Percentage of Urban to total population
1950 2018 2030 2050
Africa 14.3 42.5 48.4 58.9
Asia 17.5 49.9 56.7 66.2
Europe 51.7 74.5 77.5 83.7
Latin America 41.3 80.7 83.6 87.8
Northern America 63.9 82.2 84.7 89.0
Oceania 62.5 68.2 68.9 72.1
World 29.6 55.3 60.4 68.4
Source : World Urban Prospects : The 2018 Rivision.

Africa is the least urbanized continent with (1) Very highly urbanized areas (75
percent or above)
only 42.5 per cent of its population living in Highly urbanized areas (50-75
urban places. The situation of Asia (50 percent) (2)
is not very different from that of Africa. The percent),
agrarian nature of economy and a long colonial (3) Medium urbanized areas (25-50
past are the factors responsible for their poor percent)
(4) Less urbanized areas (below 25
urbanization. Due to enormnous socio-economic
problems and limited resources in Africa and percent).
(1) Very Highly Urbanized Areas : The
Asia continents,the processes of socio-economic
transformation and urbanization are bound to countries having urban population 75 per cent
be gradual. or above are included under this category.
Generally highly industrialized and developed
Table 17.3 illustrates that total population countries are very highly urbanized. Some
of Singapore, Kuwait, Qatar and Hongkong lives other countries of Asia and Latin America have
in urban places. On the contrary, only 13 also high percentage of urban population.
percent population of Burundi and Papua New Following are the countries which have very
Guinea resides in urban centres. Thus, on the high level of urbanization :
basis of level of urbanization all the countries Europe : Belgium, Iceland, United Kingdom,
of the world may be classified into following 4 Denmark, Sweden, Luxemburg,
groups: Netherlands, Norway, Spain, France,
Germany, etc.

Table 17.3

Level of Urbanization in the Selected Countries of the world

Percentage of urban to total population
Country 2018
1975 2005

2 3
1
66.9 75.6 79
More developed countries
300
Human Geography
Less developed country 26.5 42,7
Least developed country 14.8 26.7
50
33
(A) Very Highly Urbanized Countries (75.0 per cent and
above)
Singapore 100.0 100.0
Hong Kong 89.7 100.0
100
Kuwait 100
89.4 98.5
Qatar 88.9 100
95.4
Belgium 100
94.5 97.2
Malta 98
89.7 95.3 95
Uruguay 83.4 92.0 95
Iceland 86.7 92.8 94
Netherlands 63.2 80.2 92
Argentina 81.0 90.1
Japan 56.8
92
Israel 65.8 92
86.6 91.6 91
Luxemburg 77.3 82.8 91
Jordon 57.7 82.2 90
Lebnon
67.0 86.6 89
Bahrain
85.0 96.5 89
Denmark
82.2 85.6 88
Sweden 82.7 84.2 87
UA.E.
83.6 76.7 87
Chile
78.0 87.6 87
Australia 85.9 88.2 86
New Zealand 82.8 86.2 86
Brazil 61.7 84.2 86
Saudi Arabia 58.4 80.8 84
United Kingdom 82.7 89.7 83
South Korea 48.0 81.0 82
US.A. 73.7 80.8 82
Canada 75.6 80.1 81
Norway 68.2 77.4 81
Libya 5.73 84.8 80
Spain 69.6 76.7 80
France 72.9 76.7 80
Cuba
64.2 75.5 77
Germany 72.7 75.2 77
Malaysia 37.2 67.3 75
 Urbanization 301

(B) Highly Urbanized Countries (50-75 Percent)

Czech Republic 63.7 74.0 74
Russia 66.9 73.0 74
Iran 45.8 66.9 74
Algeria 40.3 63.3 73
Mexico 62.8 76.0 73
Algeria 40.3 63.3 73
Hungary 62.2 66.3 71
Ukraine 58.4 67.9 70
Italy 65.6 67.6 70
Bolivia 41.3 63.7 69
Tunisia 49.9 65.3 68
Mongolia 48.7 57.3 68
Congo 43.4 60.2 67
Lithuania 55.7 66.6 67
South Africa 48.1 59.3 66

Portugal 40.8 57.6 65

Ecuador 42.4 62.8 64
Ecuador 42.4 62.8 63
Ireland 53.6 60.5 63

Angola 19.1 53.3 63

Morocco 37.8 58.7 62
39.0 58.5 61
Paraguay
Gambia 24.4 53.9 61
Poland 55.3 62.1 60
China 17.4 40.4 59
49.5 52.2 58
Georgia
Ghana 30.1 47.8 56

Indonesia 19.3 48.1 54

Guatemala 36.7 47.2 51

23.4 48.2 50
Nigeria
Thailand 23.8 32.3 50

(C) Medium Urbanized Countries (25-50 percent)

Namibia 23.7 35.1 48

Zambia 34.9 35.0 44

43.5 42.8 43
Egypt
 302 Human Geography
Sierra Leone 21.2 40.7
41
Bhutan 4.6 11.1 39
Pakistan 26.3 34.9
37
Madagaskar 16.3 26.8 37
Bangladesh 9.9 25.1 37
Sudan 18.9 40.8 36
Guinea 19.5 33.0 35
Viet Nam 18.8 26.4 35
India 21.3 28.7 34
Tanzania 11.1 24.2 34
Kenya 12.9 20.7 32
Myanmar 24.0 30.6 29
(D) Less Urbanized Countries (Less than 25 Percent)
Uganda 7.0 12.6 24
Chad 15.6 25.3 23
Cambodia 10.3 19.7 23
Ethiopia 9.5 16.0 20
Nepal 4.8 15.8 20
Sri Lanka 19.5 15.1 19
Niger 11.4 16.8 16
Trinidad 11.4 12.2 14
Burundi 3.2 10.0 13
World 37.2 48.6 55
Source: (1) Human Development Report 2007/2008, UNDP New York
(2) World Population Data Sheet, 2018.

Asia: Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Bahrain, Europe : Zcech Republic, Russian Federation,
Qatar, Israel, Lebnon, Jordan, Saudi Belarus, Ukraine, Switzerland, Italy,
Arabia, Korea, United Arab Emirates, etc. Ireland, Austria, Lithuania, Portugal,
North America: United States of America, Hungary, Poland, Greece, etc.
Canada, Mexico, Cuba etc. Asia: Malaysia, Turkey, Iran, Japan, Philippines,
South America : Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Kazakhstarn, Mongolia, etc.
Uruguay, etc. South America : Colombia, Peru, Ecuador,
Africa : Libya. Paraguay Bolivia, etc.
(2) Highly Urbanized Areas : Many Africa : Tunisia, Algeria, Congo, South Africa,
countries Europe, Asia, Latin America and
of Morocco, Gambia, Angola, etc.
Africa are included in this category. These
(3) Medium Urbanized Areas : The
3ountries according to continents are: countries having level of urbanization from 25
 303
Urbanization
percent are included under this category. of urban population during the coming 20 years
to50
These countries are: or so.

Asia: Indonesia, China, Pakistan, Thailand, 5. The important feature of recent

Myanmar, India, Viet Nam, etc. urbanization is the continuing trend of ever
Africa: Nigeria,,Ghana, Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, larger metropolitan areas. The process of
Sierra Leone, Zambia, Namibia, Guinea. metropolitanization is faster in developing
Medagaskar, etc. countries than those of developed countries. It
population from
is the result of migration of towns
(4) Less Urbanized Countries : Less rural areas as well as from and small
urbanized countries (urban population below cities to the big and metropolitan cities.
concentrated mainly in Asia
25 per cent) are 6. The process of rural
urbanization or
and Africa continents. The economy of these origin of new towns is very common in
ntries are mainly based on agriculture and developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin
people in majority live in villages. Some of these America. The large and metropolitan cities are
countries are :
increasing their share in the total urban
Asia : Bangladesh, Laos, Combodia, Nepal, Sri population.
Lanka, Bhutan, etc.
7. In industrialized and developed
Africa : Tanzania, Kenya, Niger, Uganda, countries of Europe, Anglo-America and
Rwanda, Burundi, etc. Australia, the process of urbanization is usually
contrary,
slow, stationary or decreasing. On thecountries
7. MAIN FEATURES OF MODERN in new urbanized and less-urbanized
URBANIZATION of the developing world, the pace of urbani
zation is considerably fast. The percentage of
1. The countries that have more than 50 urban population in the developing countries
percent of their population living in urban is increasing at a faster pace.
places lie in North America, South America,
Europe and Australia including New Zealand. 8. TREND OF URBANIZATION IN INDIA
Some of the South-West and East Asian
countries also are included in this category. Urbanization in India is a most significant
Some African countries also come in the phenomenon of the twentieth century which
category of high urbanization. has affected about all aspects of the national
life. Being the second most populous country in
2. The urban population of the world is the world after China, India's fast growing
recently growing at four times the rate of the urbanization has a regional as well as world
rural population. It is estimated that upto 2025, wide impact. Now India stands on third rank
nearly 60 percent of the world's population will among the countries of the world after China
be living in urban centres. and U.S.A.in the terms of absolute size of urban
3. Though the less developed countries of population. Here about 377.11 million people
the world have relatively low level of live in urban places. Thus, India's urban
urbanization, the rate of the growth of urban population constitutes a sizeable proportion of
Population in these countries has been about the world's urban population. "This can be well
tive times the rate of urban growth in the corroborated from the fact that every 12th city
developed countries during last decade of the dweller of the world and every 7th of the
twentieth century. The less developed countries developing countries is the Indian (Tiwari, R.C.
in Asia and Africa are urbanizing rapidly. 2010, 816).
4. The less developed countries are going Being an old cultural hearth India has a
experiernce an unprecedented rate of growth long tradition of urbanization which has