Demographic factors and trends

Abstract

This document deals with the demographic point of view “urbanization” means a rapid growth in the total and proportional population of localities where economic activity is essentially of a non-agricultural nature. Towns have existed since the very beginning of civilization, but at no time in history has the rate of urban growth been comparable to prevailing at the present time. The rate has, in fact, been steadily increasing since the beginning of the 19th century. About approximately 2 per cent of the world's population lived in towns 20,000 or more inhabitants. About 1960, that figure had become 25 Cent. During the period 1860-1960, the total, urban and rural, population of the world trebled, and the population of urban centers 20,000 or more inhabitants increased in the' ratio of approximately is30. In the meantime, one-third of the world demographic increase was displaced by migratory movements to cities and towns of the same size.