What is urbanization?
Urbanization is the term used to describe an increasing proportion of a population residing in urban areas.
To understand this, we need to understand 'urban'. Essentially is means: town or city.
But there are other definitions too, such as:
–Australia - Population density of at least 200/km2.
–Canada - Population density of 400 persons per square km2.
–China - Population density higher than 1,500/km2.
–France - A zone encompassing an area of built-up growth called an "urban unit” and its commuter belt.
–India - All places with a municipality, corporation, cantonment board or notified town area committee, etc. andAll other places which satisfied the following criteria: (i) A minimum population of 5,000; (ii) At least 75% of the male main working population engaged in non-agricultural pursuits; and (iii) A density of population of at least 400 persons per sq. km.
– Japan - Population density of 4,000 inhabitants per square kilometre.
Other key terms include
•Urban growth: increase in the absolute number of people living in urban areas.
•Centripetal movements: migration INTO cities
•Centrifugal movements: migration AWAY from cities and central urban areas
The difference between urban growth and urbanization is that urban growth reflects an increase in either the land area or the population size of an urban area. Urbanization is about the relative proportion of people residing in rural or urban areas in a given area (such as a region, country or continent).
An excellent discussion of the issues surrounding the classification of the term 'urban' or 'city' is here.
Where is urbanization occurring?
The graph below shows the rate of urbanization in different continents.
Urbanization is the term used to describe an increasing proportion of a population residing in urban areas.
To understand this, we need to understand 'urban'. Essentially is means: town or city.
But there are other definitions too, such as:
–Australia - Population density of at least 200/km2.
–Canada - Population density of 400 persons per square km2.
–China - Population density higher than 1,500/km2.
–France - A zone encompassing an area of built-up growth called an "urban unit” and its commuter belt.
–India - All places with a municipality, corporation, cantonment board or notified town area committee, etc. andAll other places which satisfied the following criteria: (i) A minimum population of 5,000; (ii) At least 75% of the male main working population engaged in non-agricultural pursuits; and (iii) A density of population of at least 400 persons per sq. km.
– Japan - Population density of 4,000 inhabitants per square kilometre.
Other key terms include
•Urban growth: increase in the absolute number of people living in urban areas.
•Centripetal movements: migration INTO cities
•Centrifugal movements: migration AWAY from cities and central urban areas
The difference between urban growth and urbanization is that urban growth reflects an increase in either the land area or the population size of an urban area. Urbanization is about the relative proportion of people residing in rural or urban areas in a given area (such as a region, country or continent).
An excellent discussion of the issues surrounding the classification of the term 'urban' or 'city' is here.
Where is urbanization occurring?
The graph below shows the rate of urbanization in different continents.