World urbanisation 1950–2050 – urban share, megacities and stages of urban change

What it shows

Urbanisation is the increase in the share of people living in towns and cities. UN data show the world becoming more urban than rural in 2007, with 55% urban in 2018 and a projected 68% by 2050. High-income countries urbanised early; most urban growth now takes place in Africa and Asia, driven by rural–urban migration, natural increase and reclassification. Megacities rose from 2 in 1950 to 33 in 2018. In a city region of a high-income country, growth can pass through urbanisation, suburbanisation, counter-urbanisation and re-urbanisation.

How to use

On World map, move the Year slider or press Play, tick Megacities, and tap a region circle or a city bubble. On Trends, choose what to Compare and tap the graph to pick a year. On Urban growth, choose a Group, tap a period, and set Natural increase in the city and Net migration and reclassification. On City region, choose a Stage or click the graph.

Parameters you can change

• Screen World map, Trends, Urban growth, City region
• Year 1950, 1970, 1990, 2018, 2030 (projection), 2050 (projection)
• Show megacities (10 million+)
• Selected region Northern America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania
• Compare Income groups, World regions
• Group (Urban growth screen) World, More developed regions, Less developed regions
• Natural increase in the model city 0–4 % per year
• Net migration and reclassification in the model city -2–5 % per year
• Stage of urban change Urbanisation, Suburbanisation, Counter-urbanisation, Re-urbanisation

Questions to explore

1. Why did the share of people in urban areas rise much faster in Africa and Asia than in Europe after 1950?
2. In which period did the urban population of less developed regions grow fastest, and why?
3. Why might people in a high-income country move from a city to a village (counter-urbanisation)?