A new report, World Urbanisation Prospects 2025 (WUP25), reveals a dramatic shift in how humanity occupies the planet. Since 1975, the amount of built-up land has grown nearly twice as fast as the global population
This expansion means the average amount of constructed space per person has risen from 44 m2 to 63 m2, highlighting significant inefficiencies in land use worldwide.
The new urban reality
For the first time in history, more people now live in cities than in towns or rural areas. The global population has become increasingly urban, with 45% now living in cities, a sharp increase from only 20% in 1950. Towns currently house 36% of the population, while roughly 20% remain in rural areas.
This analysis is made possible by integrating satellite imagery with census data using the new, harmonised Degree of Urbanisation methodology. This approach consistently classifies settlements into cities, towns, and rural areas across all countries, providing unprecedented detail on population shifts and physical expansion.
Future growth to concentrate in developing regions
Looking ahead to 2050, two-thirds of the world’s population growth is projected to occur in cities. This surge will be highly concentrated in just seven countries: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia, which together are expected to add over 500 million new urban residents.
Africa, in particular, is expected to experience the most significant relative increase in city and town growth. While megacities like Dhaka and Jakarta are set to expand further and reshape the global urban order, the overall number of cities globally has already doubled since 1975 to over 12,000, underscoring widespread urban expansion beyond the most significant metropolitan areas.
The cost of urban sprawl
The rapid, uncoordinated spread of settlement footprints, often referred to as urban sprawl, poses a significant sustainability challenge. This expansion is encroaching on farmland and natural ecosystems, creating long-term environmental risks. Furthermore, rapid urbanisation in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia necessitates massive infrastructure investments.
The report notes deep inefficiencies in land use, particularly in rural areas where built-up land per resident has doubled since 1975 despite slow or negative population growth. Countries in Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand have seen land use per person rise considerably. At the same time, those in Central and Southern Asia remain the most land-efficient.
To address these challenges, the report emphasises the urgent need for better land management, encouraging more compact and connected development. Strategic planning is crucial to managing rapid urban expansion effectively and efficiently, especially in high-growth regions.
Utilising open, detailed data from sources such as the Joint Research Centre’s Global Human Settlement Layer is presented as essential for policymakers to make evidence-based decisions and build more sustainable urban-rural systems.
