Asia to become one huge megacity

By 2025, seven of ten largest metropolitan cities of the world will be located in Asia. China holds all chances to become one of the world leaders on the level of urbanization of the population. China is currently experiencing a peak of migration of the rural population in large cities. In general, by 2020, nine of the world's largest metropolitan cities will overcome the limit of 20 million residents. 

New York and Tokyo were the first metropolitan cities to have appeared in the world. By 1980, the number of people living in Tokyo doubled the number of New Yorkers. After the swell in population during the 1970s, the list was extended with Mexico's capital, Mexico City, and Brazil's Sao Paulo, the BBC reports.

India's Mumbai became the first Asian metropolitan city outside Japan. India's Delhi became the fastest growing Asian city. In the beginning of the decade, the population size of Delhi was growing by 1.5 million people every two years. As a result, Delhi became the world's second most populated city in the world after Tokyo.

After Pakistan's Karachi and Bangladesh's Dhaka were listed as cities with population of ten million, the Asian-Pacific region became the leader on the number of metropolitan cities among all continents.

By 2010, there were 21 metropolitan cities in the world. Five more megacities will appear in China by 2025. Beijing and Shanghai will have the company of Guangzhou, Chungking and Shenzhen. India's Mumbai is on the way to become the most populated city in the world - 25.8 million. Nine largest metropolitan cities will overcome the limit of 20 million people.

According to Knight Frank, the company that prepares the regular rating of cities, Mumbai, Moscow and Sao Paulo are to become the most advanced metropolitan cities. Each of them is expected to climb 6-8 positions up on the rating during the next decade. In 2020, Mumbai is to take the seventh place, Moscow - the tenth, and Sao Paulo - the 12th position.

The rating takes into consideration such factors as the political relevance, the economic activity, the quality of life and aspects of cultural life.

As of 2010, the list of 40 world's largest metropolitan cities is topped by New York. The list continues with London, Paris, Tokyo and Brussels. Moscow climbed one step up on the list from 22nd to the 21st place.

According to McKinsey Global Institute, the GDP of 600 world's largest cities before 2025 will grow by over $30 trillion up to $64 trillion. The first 100 cities will be producing 35% of global wealth.

As many as 735 million families will be living in the world's 600 leading cities by 2025, MGI said. This is 250 million more than today. The middle class of these cities (with incomes from $20,000 to $70,000 a year) will grow by 140 million households. China, South-East Asia and South America will catch up with Western Europe and North America in terms of financially secure families (with incomes of over $70,000 a year).

Anatoly Miranovsky.

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Author`s name Dmitry Sudakov
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