Megacities and Global Cities

Megacities and Global Cities

• The number of cities with over a million inhabitants has greatly increased in recent decades.
• In 1850, there were only four such cities: London, Paris, Beijing, and Tokyo.
• Today, there are approximately 500 cities worldwide with over a million residents.
• It is difficult to provide an exact figure as city boundaries are not always well-defined.
• Cities and their suburbs often merge with surrounding villages to form gigantic conurbations.
• Cairo is one of the largest cities in Africa.

The Attraction of Cities

• Every day, hundreds of people from rural areas are drawn to large cities like Cairo (Egypt), Lagos (Nigeria), or Mexico City (Mexico).
• Cities are attractive to these individuals, who leave their homes in order to start a new life in a major urban center.
• "Push factors" are the reasons that drive people to migrate from rural areas.
• A primary "push factor" is the lack of jobs in rural areas, coupled with limited educational opportunities and inadequate medical care.
• Natural disasters and the impacts of climate change can also cause people to leave.
• In African countries, people are often forced to leave their homes as deserts expand and previously arable land becomes uninhabitable.
• On the other hand, "pull factors" make cities appear particularly appealing.
• Immigrants hope for a better life in the city, including better job opportunities and a better future for their children.

Poverty and Wealth in Cities

• The dreams of immigrants are often shattered.
• A better life in the city remains unattainable for many.
• Many large cities have vast slums.
• These makeshift accommodations often lack basic necessities.
• Some homes do not even have a roof over their heads or access to electricity or water.
• Many structures are built from wood and corrugated iron.
• Makeshift homes are often erected on bridges or along rivers
• Politicians and policymakers often view slums as eyesores and sometimes tear them down without permission.
• Many slum dwellers scavenge through mountains of trash for edible waste.
• Others try their luck begging on the shopping streets of downtown areas.
• In many large cities, such as Rio de Janeiro, impoverished slums and wealthy residential areas for the rich are often located only a few hundred meters apart.
• For fear of attacks and burglaries, the wealthy barricade themselves behind high walls, guarded by armed security personnel.