According to the United Nations, about 55% of people in the world live in cities. This number is expected to go up to 68% by the year 2050. This means that about 2.5 billion more people will be living in cities. Many people are moving from the countryside to cities because cities offer more jobs and use new technologies. This change is making people’s lives different as they adapt to living in urban areas.
The fastest growth of cities is happening in Asia and Africa. Almost 90% of the new people moving to cities will be in these areas. Cities in Asia are very attractive because they have more money, better economies, and chances for new businesses. In fact, 14 out of the 15 cities that are expected to grow the most are in Asia. This shows that Asia is focusing on technology and developing its economy.
Which cities are leading in growth?
Bengaluru, a city in India, is expected to be the fastest-growing big city by 2033. It will be followed closely by Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Both of these cities are doing well because they are growing in terms of money, more people moving there, and increasing wealth.
Vietnam is special because it has two cities in the top fifteen fastest-growing cities. Ho Chi Minh City is seeing a lot of rich families coming up, while Hanoi is growing because more people are earning money and the middle class is getting bigger.
Even though China's economy is not growing as fast as before, five cities in China—Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Suzhou, Wuhan, and Dongguan—are still some of the fastest-growing places. These cities have good roads and buildings, which help people get around easily.
Riyadh is an important place to notice and visit, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. It is the only city from the Middle East among the top 15 fastest-growing cities in the world. Riyadh is expected to increase its population by 26% in the next ten years, growing from 5.9 million to 9.2 million people. This growth is very important for Saudi Arabia's economy, and the government will need to spend more money on building roads and providing public services to support all the new residents.
In India, about 35% of people live in cities. Because many people are now moving and settling down to cities quickly, five cities in India are among the top 15 cities in the world that are growing the fastest. A lot of people are expected to move from smaller cities to bigger ones, which might make New Delhi the most crowded city in the world by 2030.
India has a strong services sector, which means many jobs are in areas like banking, finance, and technology. Cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Hyderabad are expected to grow a lot in terms of money made per person in the next ten years, more than other cities.