Focusing on the total average population density as a percentage of the regions,
one group, consisting of upper Eurasia and North America and Oceania, has low
densities, whereas a second group has high densities. The latter group includes, in
order from low to high, Latin America, monsoon Asia, the mid-latitude arid region,
and the sub-Saharan Africa. The table indicates that cities with densities from 10,000
to 11,999/km
2 account for the largest proportion of the region in the sub-Saharan
Africa (71.4% of the region), followed by the mid-latitude arid region, monsoon
Asia, and then Latin America regions. Cities with densities in the range 4000–5999/
km
2 account for the largest proportion of the region in upper Eurasia (42.3% of the
region), whereas those in the range 2000–3999/km
2 account for the largest proportion in North America and Oceania (52.9% of the region). Furthermore, there is no
city with a density over 12,000/km
2 in upper Eurasia and none with a density over
8000/km
2 in North America or Oceania. There are only four cities with densities
over 30,000/km
2 , and these occur in three regions: Sana’a and Kabul in the
mid-latitude arid region, Hong Kong in monsoon Asia, and Kinshasa in the
sub-Saharan Africa region. At the other end of the scale, there are nine cities with
densities below 4000/km
2 in North America and Oceania.
Overall, the results show that the six regions vary, with the vast, low-density cities
of North America and Oceania at one end of the spectrum and the concentrated,
high-density cities of the sub-Saharan Africa at the other. Latin America and
monsoon Asia are in the middle, but the former tends toward concentrated,
low-density cities, and the latter toward vast, high-density cities. By examining the
cities with over 1 million people, we can examine the tendencies of the six regions in
terms of the urban areas and population density.
5.4 A Closer Look at the 18 Megacities
Using population density data from the LandScan project (LandScan 2007), our
team defined 18 distinct expansions as “megacities” of 10 million inhabitants and
above (Table 5.2). These megacities are a relatively new phenomenon in the
twentieth century, but they are appearing around the globe and increasing in number.
However, each megacity has its own unique features and history, which makes it
quite challenging to determine the commonalities of megacities or to speculate about
their future. To capture their essence, we will assess the global cities based on the six
regions and six eras put forward in this chapter.
The purpose of this section is to clarify when megacities appeared, and how they
spread across the world, taking into account the regional perspective and focusing on
the 18 megacities identified through LandScan (2007).
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N. Fukami
one group, consisting of upper Eurasia and North America and Oceania, has low
densities, whereas a second group has high densities. The latter group includes, in
order from low to high, Latin America, monsoon Asia, the mid-latitude arid region,
and the sub-Saharan Africa. The table indicates that cities with densities from 10,000
to 11,999/km
2 account for the largest proportion of the region in the sub-Saharan
Africa (71.4% of the region), followed by the mid-latitude arid region, monsoon
Asia, and then Latin America regions. Cities with densities in the range 4000–5999/
km
2 account for the largest proportion of the region in upper Eurasia (42.3% of the
region), whereas those in the range 2000–3999/km
2 account for the largest proportion in North America and Oceania (52.9% of the region). Furthermore, there is no
city with a density over 12,000/km
2 in upper Eurasia and none with a density over
8000/km
2 in North America or Oceania. There are only four cities with densities
over 30,000/km
2 , and these occur in three regions: Sana’a and Kabul in the
mid-latitude arid region, Hong Kong in monsoon Asia, and Kinshasa in the
sub-Saharan Africa region. At the other end of the scale, there are nine cities with
densities below 4000/km
2 in North America and Oceania.
Overall, the results show that the six regions vary, with the vast, low-density cities
of North America and Oceania at one end of the spectrum and the concentrated,
high-density cities of the sub-Saharan Africa at the other. Latin America and
monsoon Asia are in the middle, but the former tends toward concentrated,
low-density cities, and the latter toward vast, high-density cities. By examining the
cities with over 1 million people, we can examine the tendencies of the six regions in
terms of the urban areas and population density.
5.4 A Closer Look at the 18 Megacities
Using population density data from the LandScan project (LandScan 2007), our
team defined 18 distinct expansions as “megacities” of 10 million inhabitants and
above (Table 5.2). These megacities are a relatively new phenomenon in the
twentieth century, but they are appearing around the globe and increasing in number.
However, each megacity has its own unique features and history, which makes it
quite challenging to determine the commonalities of megacities or to speculate about
their future. To capture their essence, we will assess the global cities based on the six
regions and six eras put forward in this chapter.
The purpose of this section is to clarify when megacities appeared, and how they
spread across the world, taking into account the regional perspective and focusing on
the 18 megacities identified through LandScan (2007).
88
N. Fukami