The New Global Frontier: Cities, Poverty and Environment in the 21st Century

The cities and towns ¹ of Africa, Asia and Latin America are central to the demographic, economic and environmental challenges of the 21st century. The urban centres of low- and middle-income countries represent the new global frontier. Virtually all of the world's population growth is projected to occur in these cities and towns, and it is likely that they will account for most of the economic growth as well. Currently, more than 3.3 billion people live in towns and cities; the number is expected to rise to some 5 billion by 2030. Over 80 per cent of this growth will accrue to Asia and Africa, with most of the rest to Latin America. ²