As the population of western industrialized nations stabilizes, the world's largest and fastest growing cities will increasingly be located in poor, developing countries.
"Lagos, the capital of Nigeria, in west Africa, will be the world's fastest-growing mega-city over the decade to 2015, United Nations experts estimate.
Thirty years ago, Lagos had 2 million people. By 2015 it will have 16 million inhabitants.
It epitomises the rise of the Third World mega-cities, vast sprawling oceans of people living largely in makeshift shanty towns and slums.
In 1975, half of the world's 100 biggest cities were in the West, 15 of them in western Europe.
But the UN predicts that as Europe's population stabilises, by 2015 only four of its cities will be among the 100 biggest: Paris, London, Madrid and Barcelona. Not even Rome and Berlin would make the cut.
It is a startling transformation. Even between 1975 and 2005, Tokyo was the only city from the world's richest countries among the 10 cities that grew the most."
FULL STORY: Poor mega-cities to topple Rome, Berlin
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
