A megacity is usually defined as a metropolitan area with more than 10 million inhabitants.[1] Some definitions also require that it have a minimum demographic density of 2,000 people/km². It can be made up of one, two or more metropolitan areas that have been physically united. The terms conurbation and metroplex are also applied to cases of several united urban areas. The terms megapolis and megalopolis are sometimes used synonymously with megacity. Forecasts suggest that by 2030 there will be 2 billion new urban inhabitants, mainly in Asia and emerging countries, hence the "metacity" category is beginning to be used for cities with more than 20 million inhabitants.[2].
Megacities
This increase is related to the generalization of the urbanization process, which in many countries has exceeded 75-85%.
Until 2017, the largest megacity in the world is the Guangzhou-Shenzhen area, whose population is estimated at more than 48 million inhabitants, depending on the areas considered included (usually the statistics also include the cities of Dongguan, Foshan, Jiangmen and Zhongshan).
The ten largest megacities in the world are:[3].
• - Canton "Canton (China)"), China, (45 million).
• - Tokyo, Japan, (40 million).
• - Delhi, India, (31 million).
• - Shanghai, China, (30 million).
• - Jakarta, Indonesia, (25 million).
• - Manila, Philippines, (24 million).
• - Bombay, India, (24 million).
• - São Paulo, Brazil, (23 million).
• - Mexico City, Mexico, (22 million).
• - New York, USA, (22 million).
• - Seoul, South Korea, (20 million).
Other megacities (in 2017, in alphabetical order):.
• - Bangalore, India.
• - Bangkok, Thailand.
• - Bogotá, Colombia.
• - Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• - Calcutta, India.
• - Chennai, India.
• - Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• - Cairo, Egypt.
• - Istanbul, Türkiye.
• - Johannesburg, South Africa.
• - Kinshasa, DR Congo.
• - Lagos, Nigeria.
• - Lahore, Pakistan.
• - Lima, Peru.
• - London, United Kingdom.
Metacity
Introduction
A megacity is usually defined as a metropolitan area with more than 10 million inhabitants.[1] Some definitions also require that it have a minimum demographic density of 2,000 people/km². It can be made up of one, two or more metropolitan areas that have been physically united. The terms conurbation and metroplex are also applied to cases of several united urban areas. The terms megapolis and megalopolis are sometimes used synonymously with megacity. Forecasts suggest that by 2030 there will be 2 billion new urban inhabitants, mainly in Asia and emerging countries, hence the "metacity" category is beginning to be used for cities with more than 20 million inhabitants.[2].
Megacities
This increase is related to the generalization of the urbanization process, which in many countries has exceeded 75-85%.
Until 2017, the largest megacity in the world is the Guangzhou-Shenzhen area, whose population is estimated at more than 48 million inhabitants, depending on the areas considered included (usually the statistics also include the cities of Dongguan, Foshan, Jiangmen and Zhongshan).
The ten largest megacities in the world are:[3].
• - Canton "Canton (China)"), China, (45 million).
• - Tokyo, Japan, (40 million).
• - Delhi, India, (31 million).
• - Shanghai, China, (30 million).
• - Jakarta, Indonesia, (25 million).
• - Manila, Philippines, (24 million).
• - Bombay, India, (24 million).
• - São Paulo, Brazil, (23 million).
• - Mexico City, Mexico, (22 million).
• - New York, USA, (22 million).
• - Seoul, South Korea, (20 million).
Other megacities (in 2017, in alphabetical order):.
• - Bangalore, India.
• - Bangkok, Thailand.
• - Bogotá, Colombia.
• - Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• - Calcutta, India.
• - Chennai, India.
• - Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• - Cairo, Egypt.
• - Los Angeles, United States.
• - Moscow, Russia.
• - Nagoya, Japan.
• - Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto, Japan.
• - Paris, France.
• - Beijing, China.
• - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• - Tehran, Iran.
• - Tianjin, China.
• - Xiamen, China.
Other lists define megacities as urban agglomerations rather than metropolitan areas. As of 2017, we found more than 100 cities with this definition.
United Nations projections indicate that the emergence of new megacities has been declining since 2005. However, the expansion and merger of highly urbanized areas could continue as a trend, exemplified by the following areas:
Another list also defines megacities as agglomerations (of continuous urbanization). As of 2018, the agglomerations of more than ten million people are the following:
Canadian use of megacity
In Canada, the 1990s saw how the provinces of Ontario and Quebec were forcibly merged into new, larger municipalities. The process was dubbed megacity by the press.[4][5].
Examples of megacities in Canada include:.
• - Toronto: the municipalities that make up the Greater Toronto Area were merged into the new Toronto in 1998.
• - Kawartha Lakes, Ontario: Primarily rural Victoria County had its towns, villages, and small cities that were merged into a 'Megacity' in 2000. The area has a population of only 70,000 (many thousands less than the nearby city of Peterborough) and, although it has an area of 3,059.22 km², it only has a population density of just 22.6 per km².
• - Ottawa: the municipalities that made up the Ottawa-Carleton Metropolitan Area were merged into the new Ottawa in 2001.
• - Gatineau: Five municipalities in Southwestern Quebec (Gatineau, Hull, Aylmer, Buckingham, and Masson-Angers) were merged into the new Gatineau in 2002.
• - Montreal: all municipalities on the island of Montreal were merged into a new City of Montreal, a merger that did not last until January 1, 2006 when a partial division was carried out.
Governance
Megacities face social and ecological obstacles. Other concerns are regarding spending responsibilities and resource mobilization. In Asia and Latin America, megacities manage the functions and responsibilities of a province in addition to political and economic powers superior to municipalities. This facilitates social policies and public investments. However, not everything has been the same: there have been partial transfers granting fiscal and spending responsibilities, as well as limited transfers that have not yet partially or totally assumed these responsibilities and are covered by the central government. Another problem is the clarification and separation of functions in advanced and developing countries. In many countries, especially in Latin America, there are duplicate functions that in other parts of the world would be attributed to a local government.[6]
One of the defects of large cities is the lack of adequate urban planning to provide space, housing and services to the growing migrant population: thus, many cities become emergency neighborhoods, since very little attention or priority is paid to the needs of the poor. Another problem that cities face is the lack of infrastructure or lack of maintenance - a modern sewage system, a reliable electricity network, roads and bridges in good condition -: these will eventually become obstacles to economic growth. Finally, another challenge is whether institutions can address all their functions and be close to citizens to provide services. These must be provided by the private sector, otherwise the models would be created from the top down.[7].
• - Arcology.
• - Urban agglomeration.
• - Metropolitan Area.
• - Global city.
• - Conurbation.
• - Megalopolis.
• - List of the most populated megacities in the world.
• - United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division.
• - Megacities Task Force.
• - Maps of US Megacities from radicalcartography.net.
• - Hamilton Tolosa, "The Rio/Sao Paulo Extended Metropolitan Region; A Quest for Global Integration", The Annals of Regional Science 37:2 (September 2003), pp.480, 485.
References
[1] ↑ "How Big Can Cities Get?" New Scientist Magazine, 17 June 2006, page 41.
[2] ↑ Gildo Seisdedos (2007). Cómo gestionar las ciudades del siglo XXI: del" city marketing" al" urban management", Ed. Pearson Educación p. XIX.
Other lists define megacities as urban agglomerations rather than metropolitan areas. As of 2017, we found more than 100 cities with this definition.
United Nations projections indicate that the emergence of new megacities has been declining since 2005. However, the expansion and merger of highly urbanized areas could continue as a trend, exemplified by the following areas:
Another list also defines megacities as agglomerations (of continuous urbanization). As of 2018, the agglomerations of more than ten million people are the following:
Canadian use of megacity
In Canada, the 1990s saw how the provinces of Ontario and Quebec were forcibly merged into new, larger municipalities. The process was dubbed megacity by the press.[4][5].
Examples of megacities in Canada include:.
• - Toronto: the municipalities that make up the Greater Toronto Area were merged into the new Toronto in 1998.
• - Kawartha Lakes, Ontario: Primarily rural Victoria County had its towns, villages, and small cities that were merged into a 'Megacity' in 2000. The area has a population of only 70,000 (many thousands less than the nearby city of Peterborough) and, although it has an area of 3,059.22 km², it only has a population density of just 22.6 per km².
• - Ottawa: the municipalities that made up the Ottawa-Carleton Metropolitan Area were merged into the new Ottawa in 2001.
• - Gatineau: Five municipalities in Southwestern Quebec (Gatineau, Hull, Aylmer, Buckingham, and Masson-Angers) were merged into the new Gatineau in 2002.
• - Montreal: all municipalities on the island of Montreal were merged into a new City of Montreal, a merger that did not last until January 1, 2006 when a partial division was carried out.
Governance
Megacities face social and ecological obstacles. Other concerns are regarding spending responsibilities and resource mobilization. In Asia and Latin America, megacities manage the functions and responsibilities of a province in addition to political and economic powers superior to municipalities. This facilitates social policies and public investments. However, not everything has been the same: there have been partial transfers granting fiscal and spending responsibilities, as well as limited transfers that have not yet partially or totally assumed these responsibilities and are covered by the central government. Another problem is the clarification and separation of functions in advanced and developing countries. In many countries, especially in Latin America, there are duplicate functions that in other parts of the world would be attributed to a local government.[6]
One of the defects of large cities is the lack of adequate urban planning to provide space, housing and services to the growing migrant population: thus, many cities become emergency neighborhoods, since very little attention or priority is paid to the needs of the poor. Another problem that cities face is the lack of infrastructure or lack of maintenance - a modern sewage system, a reliable electricity network, roads and bridges in good condition -: these will eventually become obstacles to economic growth. Finally, another challenge is whether institutions can address all their functions and be close to citizens to provide services. These must be provided by the private sector, otherwise the models would be created from the top down.[7].
• - Arcology.
• - Urban agglomeration.
• - Metropolitan Area.
• - Global city.
• - Conurbation.
• - Megalopolis.
• - List of the most populated megacities in the world.
• - United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division.
• - Megacities Task Force.
• - Maps of US Megacities from radicalcartography.net.
• - Hamilton Tolosa, "The Rio/Sao Paulo Extended Metropolitan Region; A Quest for Global Integration", The Annals of Regional Science 37:2 (September 2003), pp.480, 485.
References
[1] ↑ "How Big Can Cities Get?" New Scientist Magazine, 17 June 2006, page 41.
[2] ↑ Gildo Seisdedos (2007). Cómo gestionar las ciudades del siglo XXI: del" city marketing" al" urban management", Ed. Pearson Educación p. XIX.