Urbanization

The seminar will present new data sources and analysis from the UN Population Division on urbanization and potential environmental impacts on cities. The first presentation will provide an overview of results and key findings from the 2018 Revision of the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. The second presentation will introduce the Population Division’s City Boundaries Database. The final presentation will discuss the risks of exposure and vulnerability to natural disasters for the world’s major urban areas, based on new Population Division data.

Overview

The Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs organized an expert group meeting on population distribution, urbanization, internal migration and development. The meeting was held at the United Nations in New York from 21 to 23 January 2008.

Population distribution, urbanization, internal migration and development

Members of the Commission

Bureau members

• Mr. Ivan Piperkov (Bulgaria) - Eastern-European Group (Chair)

• Mr. Hossein Gharibi (Islamic Republic of Iran) - Asia-Pacific Group (Vice-Chair)

• Mr. Fredrick Matwang’a (Kenya) - African Group (Vice-Chair)

Overview

Urbanization and migration are profoundly important demographic phenomena affecting population growth and decline, and the spatial distribution of populations both between and within countries. The two processes have significant development impacts at the global, regional, national and subnational levels, and they are closely interconnected. Cities are centres of demographic, social, economic and political change, attracting migrants from near and far.

The United Nations General Assembly has designated the 31st of October as World Cities Day, by its resolution 68/239. The Day is expected to greatly promote the international community’s interest in global urbanization, push forward cooperation among countries in meeting opportunities and addressing challenges of urbanization, and contributing to sustainable urban development around the world.