ABSTRACT
Many factors contributed to urbanization in Latin America, but the general trend toward industrialization and the movement of jobs away from rural areas during the early/mid-twentieth century certainly stands out as one of the most important explanatory factors. Increasing foreign investment in mining, agriculture, and industry fostered a need for infrastructural development, which led to the rapid growth of the construction industry in urban centers. Latin America is the world’s most urban region with more than 80 percent of the total population living in cities or towns, according to statistics from 2014. Rural–urban migratory patterns, conditioned by social, political, and economic realities, combined with technological change and outside investment, have shaped the modern Latin American city. The greatest challenge for the next generation of Latin American leaders will be to address this growing disparity with meaningful, creative, and transformative policies.
