As the world population is about to break the 7 billion mark, once again we focus on the changing nature of the global population. According to the article, "The world is currently undergoing a mass urbanization -- as of 2008, and for the first time in history, a majority of the global population now lives in cities. That's just the start. According to the United Nations Population Fund, the urban-dwelling population will swell to nearly five billion by 2030. But whereas it once was the alpha world cities such as New York, London, and Shanghai that were the primary magnets for young people looking to make their fortunes, now a surprising new crop of boomtowns, from the Middle East to Mali, are seeing their populations leapfrog to the top of the list."
Check out the fastest growing cities. What surprises did you notice? What problems do you foresee for these cities? What accounts for this rapid growth?
34 comments:
Beihai, China is really a surprise to me. I've been to that city before for vacation, and honestly it does not look like its the fastest growing. It's not even the capital of a province. Guangxi province is also not known for its wealthiness in China..So being Chinese myself, i'm totally surprised that Beihai is number one...
One problem I can see is overcrowdedness. These cities are not developed to be big. It lacks many services such as complex public transportation, advanced sanitation system etc. This can definitely become an issue later on for all of the cities..
I think it's simply people going to cities looking for white collar jobs that accounted for this. Farmers from rural areas want better living conditions etc.
-Kevin Ma, Period 4
I was surprised to see that most of the large cities are centered in Asia but even more surprised to see the China is no longer number one. North and South American cities including Austin were on the list. Seeing Austin on a fastest growing cities list shocked me. It is weird to think that one of the fastest growing cities is also the capitol of the state we live in. European countries however were strangely absent from the list which shows the struggles those countries are facing right now. Problems such as over crowding, transportation, and resources are going to pose problems for the cities if they are not already. People go to the cities to find jobs, the places where the cities are growing the fastest offer jobs that people desperately need.
It was of no surprise to me that two or three of the cities were in India and one or two of the cities were in China, given their history of overpopulation and a mass amount of people there each year. However, I did find it surprising that a cities in Africa (Lagos, Nigeria) and Afghanistan(Kabul) are of the 7. Given all of the negative news that comes out of each country I would have never assumed that those cities were flourishing with humans.
Problems to be foreseen in both countries would be a shortage of resources to provide for all of its citizens, and also a shortage of jobs, as Kathleen said. If the cities are too overpopulated, they might stop functioning properly all together.
I think a lot of what accounts for this rapid growth is the culture of the countries. In Afghanistan, especially, women are expected to be a wife and have children, so they're doing just that.
Caitlin Donovan, period 7
It does not surprise me that many of the largest-populate cities are located in Asian countries given their history of over-population, especiailly in China. The city most shocking on the list was Austin, Texas. Though it's common knowledge that it's a huge city, it's difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that I live near one of the most densely populated locations on Earth.
These fast-growing cities will surely meet issues concerning transportation, even human distribution, and employment.
This rapid growth in population could be due to cultural expectations or economic attraction to these certain cities, including job opportunities.
Before even reading the article, I hypothesized that most of the cities might be from China and India. On the contrary, some of the cities were in Afghanistan, Africa, and Yemen. I thought Africa was completely destitute. I was shocked to see people driving in cars, and scooters. Kabul is popular for its security related issues, and so it was ironic that this city was even on the list. Although Yemen has the highest unemployment rate on the globe, the population soaring, now isn't that surprising?
Just like it was mentioned about Kabul, one day or the other these cities will not be able to provide water and other resources to all its inhabitants. There surely is going to be overcrowding, which is going to lead to severe diseases.
People go to cities from rural areas in search of a better job and lifestyle. They believe that to accomplish their American Dream, they have to move to higher-standard-of-living cities. Some of them are prosperous, while others left in an even worse situation.
It was very interesting to know that Bamako, Mali and Lagos, Nigeria were one the 7 Fastest-Growing Cities in the World. Especially in Mail just by looking at the picture I was surprised to see the mass number of transportation they had. The same thing is going on in Nigeria there literally no space to move around. This city had 10 million people just in 2010. It is good to have a higher population rate but it should not exceed the limit and if it does, it may lead to overcrowding, diseases and many other causes.
The most surprising fact was that there were two African countries among the 7 fastest growing cities. I used to think that the people in Africa are constantly having death rates higher than birthrates so the people are mostly dying off with unhealthy environments. One of the cities in China was not that surprising since the number of people that are born each year is rapidly increasing. What is most frightening is that India by the year 2030 is expected to have surpassed China in terms of population. The fact that the cities in India will have the population outgrowing the resources which will cause a huge problem for the entire country. I didn't know Kabul had that many people move into the city due to the constant threats of bombing and terrorism where death is lurking everywhere.
It was no surprise to me to see that India's cities made the list. However the areas where I found to be very populated did not make the list. That really shocked me. The places that were listed are very overcrowded in the streets, in the village, everywhere. That seems like the biggest problem because if some sort of virus were to enter one person in that area, the whole city could be infected within hours. The rapid growth might come from the culture. In a lot of Asian countries, women are just expected to make babies in order to make a household. So some families could have up to 10 kids, who get married and have 10 kids, and it just keeps going on.
What didn't surprise me was the fact that each of these cities came from developing nations; what I did find surprising was that I had only heard of two of the listed cities. One would expect to hear more news from the world's seven fastest growing cities. I was also surprised that Kabul was on the list. It was encouraging to hear that even after these past years of war, they have growing cities. One of the biggest problems for these growing cities will be developing the necessary infrastructure to effectively distribute resources. Water, roads, sanitation, and emergency services are all basic needs that have to grow just as rapidly as the population of the city, if not more quickly, in order to maintain a healthy standard of living and safety. Much of this rapid growth can be accounted for by an under-educated population with limited access to birth control and family planning information.
The surprise to me was that Mali, Lagos, Nigeria were fastest-growing cities in the World. The population increase and there is no land or place for people to live. Women needs to take care of the household and growth of their families.
Most of the cities were in the third world countries, and the population’s growth is primarily due to the discomfort caused by nearby areas. The port cities have a growing population like America in the 1800’s when the nation was building itself. The surprising factor was that population is growing in places where there is no place left for another person. Yemen and Nigeria are bound to have many sick people because everyone is so close. However, because of the limited resources available in the region in the future, I believe the population will decrease in the region.
I wasn't that surprised to hear the cities from both China and India made the list. Those two countries have the highest populations in the world, and it is pretty obvious that cities from these countries will make the list. But what surprised me was cities from Afghanistan, Mali and Nigeria also made the list. Afghanistan was a country where war was always happening. I always expected it's population to go down rather than it to go up. Even though an increase in population may be a good thing, it also has many problems. Due to overpopulation, many transportation and sanitation problems can arise. In addition to these problems, the shortages in resources may also be possible. I think the reason people goes to the cities is to find a job. Since these fast growing cities offer a wide variety of jobs, many people that are interested travel to the cities and settle there after they got their job.
Tom Malayil, Period 4
I was surprised to see that some of the fastest-growing countries are places where a large portion of the people lack the essential education and face struggles due to wars and conflicts. However,I am not surprised that China and India still have the largest population and that India's population will one day surpass China. If these countries continue to expand, there would be an increase of resources being used, therefore, creating shortages,as some countries will not be able to maintain a rapid population growth. I think that the strength of a country's economy and cultural traditions that allow this rapid population growth.
As epitomized by the current situation in Sanaa, Yemen, the repercussions of fast population growth can be understood. An increase in population density will incite problems between individuals. Usage of the limited number of resources will also cause more issues between people. I would also like to note how there are no cities from America or Europe mentioned on this list, thus proving that there is a correlation between overall lack of education and quality of life and population growth. These cities exist within Asia (primarily the Middle East), where social tenets and culture inhibit the role of women in society. Women are considered merely as child bearers and not as active members of society. Thus, they are forced to foster the upbringing of their children. The populations also tend to move to the cities for different reasons. The ones in India, for example, are a source of industry, and thus jobs, whereas the cities in Afghanistan and Yemen are the only places for survival in the area. The fact that there is a dearth of necessary resources in these cities (water, for example) delineates the ensuing feuds and backlash that we see currently in the Middle East.
I am not surprised that cities in China, India, and even Yemen are growing rapidly, but I was shocked that Kabul, Afghanistan is one of the most quickly growing cities due to the insufficient resources it has for the people who live there.
Some problems that may exist from the rapid population of these cities is the spread of illnesses and the lack of resources to meet the growing populations’ needs.
Most of the rapid growth in these cities is due to the functionality of the location with other populous cities nearby. Others, however, include anywhere from poor education to a striving working class that account for other countries’ rapid growth.
I was really suprised to see Lagos, Nigeria as one of the world's fastest growing cities. While some of the other cities growth I anitcipated; I did not realize Africa's growing numbers.
Due to Nigeria's dwarf economic capital not matching its growing population I think that in the future problems may arise. In addition, between 2010-2015 the city is anticiapted to grow by another 5 milion, that said I think that living conditions will decline due to rapid growth.
Although, it is not specifically stated, the rapid popultion is most likely due to a combinatin of cultural beliefs and limited birth contol, as it is in other similar countires.
Chinese, Indian and African cities are among the highly populated areas and will continue to experience probably a high population growth rate because of their advance in their medicines and nutrition. I also think it’s great that many of the top seven are in Africa. To bring about change the country needs to rise up around its cities, which will strengthen each region and provide more sustainability to local cultures. Also I was surprise to Lagos, Nigeria picture, I think its way to crowded with not so great building structures.
One can predict that the two countries that would definitely show up would be China, India, and maybe even London. It was a surprise to me that China and India were not classified in the "Alpha++" category.
One problem that would severely impact all people would have to be shortages that all people would face. They could be in transportation, food resources, employment, etc.
Different expectations are present in cultures and thus, people try to live up to those prospects.
I kind of predicted that and India would make it to the list. But I was surprised that cities in Afghanistan, Yemen and Africa were one of the fastest growing cities. Some of the problems that these cities might face are the uneven distribution of population, pollution, and lower standards of living. On the brighter side, these cities might be able to offer more jobs. Also they might grow to have strong economies.
Neha
I had expected most of the fastest growing cities to be located in Asia and Africa, but I was somewhat surprised by the South American cities such as Toluca and Santa Cruz. I was also surprised to see the huge gap in growth rate between Beihai, China and the rest of the cities. These cities may experience increased poverty, crime, sanitation problems, and unemployment. Moreover, such large population makes the spread of disease easier. More and more people move to cities to seek employment—especially in developing countries where everyone is looking for jobs and a better standard of life. Since the city offers many economic opportunities, it naturally attracts people.
I think Beihai China was expected I mean China is in general is a big country. I wouldn't be suprised that the country is growing because of the industtial demand of China is high. I think population is growing because of the demand of production. Its like a cycle the more we produce the morepeople come to this world then it demands even more
Because the top seven fastest growing cities in the world are from mainly poor countries (in terms of per capita GDP), the economies of these counties are only going to be hurt by this rapid expansion. The population of China and India are so large that if the majority of people live in cities, food may begin to pose a problem because of a lack of labor in the farming fields (please excuse the pun). The living conditions, also, of these places is sure to drop even lower than they already exist there now. This expansion is likely to hurt the people and the country.
Period 4
I was not surprised by the cities in India and China because they are always over-hyped as rapidly growing areas. However, the cities of Lagos and Bamako surprised me because I have the perception that they are underdeveloped areas. Problems in these cities include the overuse of resources and overcrowding leading to disease and sanitation issues. The reason for such rapid growth could be because these areas harbor trade and economic opportunities.
Haris Vakil, period 7
What shocked me the most was that I have never even heard of some of these cities. While these cities made be the fastest growing cities they are suffering from multiple issues such as Kabul who suffers from a shortage in water. One problem that each city faces is that it is over populated and that these cities cannot supply the necessary healthy materials people need.
I was very surprised to see the list of fastest growing cities mainly found in the Middle East. These cities are not know for their huge fortune or ability for people to become successful, so it makes me curious as to why so many people are flocking to these cities. It also shocked me to read that India is expected to pass China in population size by 2030!
I was not surprised that the fastest growing cities were from China and India. They have always had a very large population and it only seems normal they people would settle in the city where resources are easier to access. These cities are going to quickly become over-populated and over-polluted. The Asian cities not the cleanest so many problems will occur with the growth of the city. In addition, jobs will be less plentiful because of the larger population.
Lauren Swindell, 4th Period
Bamako, Mali was definitely the biggest surprise for me. Despite the fact that it's located in a third world country where the population tends to have a booming birth rate and is in the midst of shifting from an agrarian based economy to a business based one, Bamako never struck me as a major trade center, much less a hub for oppurtunists. All of these cities will definitely face the issues of overpopulation, housing, disease control, sanitary regulations, and pollution within the next decade.
What suprised the most about the world's fastes growing cities were that they did not already have a large population for the most part. I would have thought that the fastest growing cities would be some of the world's larger cities, but that is not the case.
I think that water availibility will be a huge problem for some of these cities. The article stated that some citieswere going to have a greater demand for water than supply, but i think that most of those cities wil encounter that problem.
I think that the different outlooks on famly form different parts of the world lead to population growths. Large families are seen in a more favorabble light in some countries than in other countries.
I wasn't really surprised to see that these cities were the fastest growing cities. Most of these cities are located in Asia, and Asia is quite known for having over population. The main problem that I foresee is overpopulation. Sooner or later if these cities keep growing exponentially there won't be enough supplies to provide everyone. Job opportunities cause the rapid growth in these cities, because there is always a job needed everywhere in Asia, whether it is a large task, like catching fish, or small task, like washing clothes. There is always something to do, and that's what mainly people look for today in our world today.
As far as the cities go, there were few surprises. I figured that at least half would be in China or India, and the majority of them would be in impoverished cities or developing cities. Like the article said, the a major obstacle for these cities will be things such as criminal activity and unemployment rate. As the population grows, unemployment grows, and criminal activity grows. Rapid growth may occur as a city becomes developed and attracts new inhabitants, or may occur simply as a result of culture.
China being one of the boooming population centers isn't really surprising, its third world with an ample amount of resources hitting that point where you go from industrial onward, so the huge growth in population all over the country came as no shock to me. India is in a similar transition period so that was of no real shock either, I mean they are the two most populous countries in the world.
However from my expercience in Esci I've learn that the Chinese tend to build huge with no population centers in the area they're building, for example smaller cities in random provinces will have immense building budgets and have "ghost" towns so to speak. So the movement may not be an issue as they have the space and the resources to move people into these empty cities. But, population is the most detrimental factor in the world as we can't sustain this many people in the long run.
The fact that Africa contained some of the fastest growing cities was surprising, I wasn't expecting that used to the constant notions of their wars, disease, and high death rate it came as a shock that they were numerous in top growing cities. But if I recall during the droughts it was mentioned that these places were actually over populated now as well, as the aids rate is so high the birthrate is high as well.
I think the growth is just a natural transition in these countries, and once they reach first world status will slow down greatly as death and birth rate balance.
Jovan Hill 7th
What surprised me the most about the large cities was Austin, Texas. Pretty soon, I'm going to be living in one of the most densely populated cities there is. But then again, Austin is incredibly environmentally friendly and quite clean....so it's not completely valid to correlate cleanliness with population...it's just a matter of regulation. What did not surprise me was India. So many Indians in this world. Perhaps there should be some regulations for sanitary reasons....? Just a thought.
To be honest, none of the cities/countries on the list surprised me. Most of these cities are third world countries where it is not surprising to see high birth rates. Since most of these areas are still developing, it is normal to see that a lot of people are being born yearly. Most families would need lots of children to help work get done, therefore large families are not a surprise. You can also take note that when countries became first world countries, birth rate went down and families became smaller because they did not really need all the extra help. However, once these countries develop and have better living standards, we can expect their birth rates to come down.
Originally, I thought this article was going to be focusing largely on China and India. However, I was surprised and slightly baffled to discover that two of the fastest growing cities are in Africa. Bamako, Mali, with a population of 1.3 million people, is powered through its ability to export agricultural goods and gold. It then comes as no surprise that Bamako's economy would be somewhat growing, therefore causing the population to grow as well. Lagos, Nigeria also surprised me as being one of the most overcrowded cities in Africa. Said to have 10 million people, it is predicted to have 15 million in the upcoming years. People also predicted that it's population will surpass that of Cairo, Egypt. What surprised me the most, however, was the picture of Lagos. I had no idea that Africa's main urban cities suffered from over population. People were literally standing neck-to-neck, and I wonder how they are doing with feeding their people, providing public transportation, and providing sanitary systems. Although it is considered to be an urban city, it looked as though it was very far behind its Chinese or Japanese counterpart.
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