Urbanization and the Future of Cities

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More than half of the world's population lives in urban areas today.

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By mid-century, this is expected to increase to 70%.

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100 years ago, only two out of ten people lived in a city.

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Urbanization has significantly increased over the last century.

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Humans were hunter-gatherers in the earliest days of history.

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They moved from place to place in search of food.

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About 10,000 years ago, ancestors began to learn selective breeding and agricultural techniques.

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This led to the development of semi-permanent villages.

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Villages had to relocate every few years due to soil depletion.

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Permanent settlements became possible with irrigation and soil tilling.

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Food surpluses allowed for the development of specialized trades.

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This contributed to the growth of cities.

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Cities produced surplus food, tools, crafts, and goods.

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This enabled commerce and interaction over longer distances.

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Transportation limitations in ancient cities required everything to be within walking distance.

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This included sources of clean water.

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The Roman Empire developed infrastructure to overcome urban limitations.

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Modern cities began to take shape during the Industrial Revolution.

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The Industrial Revolution allowed cities to expand and integrate further.

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It established essential services like police, fire, and sanitation departments.