When the urbanization process acquires a disproportionate pace or size in relation to the rest of the territory, we can speak of hyper-urbanization"). This phenomenon has two aspects: the first is the process by which the population increases radically in cities - urbanization process - compared to the rural population; the second is produced by the pre-eminence of cities or metropolises - generally considered primary cities -[8]​ which absorb the population of an entire country or territory since they become attractive economic centers. facing a rural, deindustrialized and generally impoverished and aging periphery.[9]​.

Although there have been cities throughout the history of humanity, it can be said that the urbanization process has become widespread in different countries accompanied by the industrial revolution and economic development - since the century -. However, since the middle of the century, there has been accelerated technological change and the phenomenon of globalization, which accentuate and encourage migratory flows between regions, countries and cities, whose preferred final destination is large cities where more work and life opportunities are offered.[9]​.

The process of hyper-urbanization should be considered decisive in today's society and economy: it is an urban phenomenon where more than 85% of GDP is concentrated and where job offers are generated compared to rural areas, which are increasingly more technical and mechanized, and small and intermediate cities that are losing their industrial and economic importance.[9]​.

Forecasts indicate that the urbanization process would accentuate in the coming decades until reaching the figure of more than 80% of the world's population living in inland or coastal urban areas.[10]​[11]​.

The urbanization process has been analyzed from various theories that explain its development and effects on the territory. The Theory of Urban Ecology, developed by the Chicago School "Chicago School (architecture)"), considers the city as an ecosystem where different groups compete for space. Models such as Burgess' Concentric Concentration, Hoyt's Sectors, and Harris and Ullman's Multiple Cores explain how urban growth is organized.

From the Theory of Agglomeration Economies, it explains how the concentration of companies and people can generate benefits in productivity and innovation, but also problems such as congestion.

The Marxist approach, developed by authors such as David Harvey and Manuel Castells, proposes the Theory of Capitalist Urbanization"), which analyzes how capitalism shapes the city, generating inequalities and processes such as real estate speculation. Related to this, the Theory of Unequal Development") maintains that urban growth does not occur uniformly, but that some areas benefit while others are marginalized.

In the global context, Saskia Sassen proposes the Theory of the Global City"), where some cities such as New York, London or Tokyo become strategic centers of the world economy, while the Theory of Planetary Urbanization"), by Henri Lefebvre and Neil Brenner"), proposes that urbanization is no longer exclusive to cities, but rather that the entire territory, including rural and natural areas, is influenced by urban processes.

• - Theory of Latin American Urbanization"):[12] Emilio Pradilla") argues that urbanization in Latin America has followed a different pattern from that of developed countries, characterized by the expansion of informal settlements, land speculation and the lack of effective planning. His work emphasizes how capitalism and inequality structure Latin American cities, generating marginalized peripheries and social fragmentation.

• - Urban Dependency Theory"): Florestan Fernandes and Aníbal Quijano explain how urbanization in Latin America has been conditioned by the global economic system. The expansion of cities has been driven by foreign capital and development models that have deepened inequality, concentrating resources and opportunities in certain areas while marginalizing others.

• - Peripheral Growth Theory: "Oscar Lewis and Janice Perlman") study the proliferation of informal settlements in urban peripheries and the reproduction of poverty in these spaces. Unlike urban modernization in developed countries, in Latin America the expansion of cities has generated large belts of misery, with low integration to the rest of the urban fabric.

• - 2018 - D. Bricker; J. Ibbitson, The Empty Planet. The shock of world population decline.go then Penguin Random House, ISBN 978-84-666-6540-7.

• - Rural exodus.

• - Concentration of the population.

• - Town (rural population) "Town (rural population)").

• - World population.

• - World Urbanization Prospect - Revision 2014[1].

When the urbanization process acquires a disproportionate pace or size in relation to the rest of the territory, we can speak of hyper-urbanization"). This phenomenon has two aspects: the first is the process by which the population increases radically in cities - urbanization process - compared to the rural population; the second is produced by the pre-eminence of cities or metropolises - generally considered primary cities -[8]​ which absorb the population of an entire country or territory since they become attractive economic centers. facing a rural, deindustrialized and generally impoverished and aging periphery.[9]​.

Although there have been cities throughout the history of humanity, it can be said that the urbanization process has become widespread in different countries accompanied by the industrial revolution and economic development - since the century -. However, since the middle of the century, there has been accelerated technological change and the phenomenon of globalization, which accentuate and encourage migratory flows between regions, countries and cities, whose preferred final destination is large cities where more work and life opportunities are offered.[9]​.

The process of hyper-urbanization should be considered decisive in today's society and economy: it is an urban phenomenon where more than 85% of GDP is concentrated and where job offers are generated compared to rural areas, which are increasingly more technical and mechanized, and small and intermediate cities that are losing their industrial and economic importance.[9]​.

Forecasts indicate that the urbanization process would accentuate in the coming decades until reaching the figure of more than 80% of the world's population living in inland or coastal urban areas.[10]​[11]​.

The urbanization process has been analyzed from various theories that explain its development and effects on the territory. The Theory of Urban Ecology, developed by the Chicago School "Chicago School (architecture)"), considers the city as an ecosystem where different groups compete for space. Models such as Burgess' Concentric Concentration, Hoyt's Sectors, and Harris and Ullman's Multiple Cores explain how urban growth is organized.

From the Theory of Agglomeration Economies, it explains how the concentration of companies and people can generate benefits in productivity and innovation, but also problems such as congestion.

The Marxist approach, developed by authors such as David Harvey and Manuel Castells, proposes the Theory of Capitalist Urbanization"), which analyzes how capitalism shapes the city, generating inequalities and processes such as real estate speculation. Related to this, the Theory of Unequal Development") maintains that urban growth does not occur uniformly, but that some areas benefit while others are marginalized.

In the global context, Saskia Sassen proposes the Theory of the Global City"), where some cities such as New York, London or Tokyo become strategic centers of the world economy, while the Theory of Planetary Urbanization"), by Henri Lefebvre and Neil Brenner"), proposes that urbanization is no longer exclusive to cities, but rather that the entire territory, including rural and natural areas, is influenced by urban processes.

• - Theory of Latin American Urbanization"):[12] Emilio Pradilla") argues that urbanization in Latin America has followed a different pattern from that of developed countries, characterized by the expansion of informal settlements, land speculation and the lack of effective planning. His work emphasizes how capitalism and inequality structure Latin American cities, generating marginalized peripheries and social fragmentation.

• - Urban Dependency Theory"): Florestan Fernandes and Aníbal Quijano explain how urbanization in Latin America has been conditioned by the global economic system. The expansion of cities has been driven by foreign capital and development models that have deepened inequality, concentrating resources and opportunities in certain areas while marginalizing others.

• - Peripheral Growth Theory: "Oscar Lewis and Janice Perlman") study the proliferation of informal settlements in urban peripheries and the reproduction of poverty in these spaces. Unlike urban modernization in developed countries, in Latin America the expansion of cities has generated large belts of misery, with low integration to the rest of the urban fabric.

• - 2018 - D. Bricker; J. Ibbitson, The Empty Planet. The shock of world population decline.go then Penguin Random House, ISBN 978-84-666-6540-7.

• - Rural exodus.

• - Concentration of the population.

• - Town (rural population) "Town (rural population)").

• - World population.

• - World Urbanization Prospect - Revision 2014[1].