Ayush
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MUMBAI: The urban agglomerations of Mumbai and Delhi, which barely matched up to global cities in size in 1950, are now counted among the seven most populous mega-cities in the world, reveals the 2013 World Population Data Sheet released by the US's Population Reference Bureau on Thursday.
Mumbai, in terms of its Mumbai Metropolitan Region (including Navi Mumbai, Thane and Vasai-Virar among other satellite belts), houses around 19.7 million persons and ranks seventh in the world. It was ranked 17th in 1950, the earliest year for which data is available.
Delhi and its extended suburbs, with its population of 22.7 million as of 2011, is the second most populous urban sprawl in the world after Tokyo, outsizing the traditionally populous Shanghai and New York. With its 1.4 million persons in 1950, Delhi was not even in the top 30.
Kolkata is the other Indian mega-city in the league of the world's top 30 populated cities, ranked 10th.
The demographic transition over the decades shows how mega cities (those with a population of over 10 million), which were once the preserve of the so-called industrialised countries, have now spread across developing countries like India. "In 1950, 19 of the top 30 cities were in industrialized countries. By 2011, that number had shrunk to eight," states the 2013 data sheet.
The shifting epicentre of mega-cities to emerging economies like India has much to do with the higher population growth recorded there, Carl Haub, who co-authored the data sheets, told TOI over email, pointing out that developed countries have little or no growth. "Rural to urban migration too plays a large role as people move seeking better jobs and a better life," he added. The 2013 projections, for instance, show that Africa will add another 1.3 billion between 2011 and 2050, its growth exceeding that of Asia which will add a billion people in the same period. Europe and North America, in contrast, are not expected to grow.
Urban experts point out that mega-cities in India are, in fact, saturated. "The growth rate of population in 22 of the 25 largest cities in India has gone down. This is not just due to natural factors like decline in fertility, but because these cities have become exclusionary in nature. They are discouraging migrants, particularly poor and unskilled labourers from coming in," says Amitabh Kundu of JNU's Centre for the Study of Regional Development. He explains that despite this, many more cities with a 10 million-plus population have emerged in India primarily because population growth in the country is still very high compared to other more developed and urbanised countries that have large cities.
Experts point out that the very phenomenon of mega-cities reflects the skewed nature of development. After all, people rushing to Mumbai and Delhi reflect the lack of opportunities and basic amenities in smaller towns and villages.
Delhi world's second most populous mega-city - The Times of India
Mumbai, in terms of its Mumbai Metropolitan Region (including Navi Mumbai, Thane and Vasai-Virar among other satellite belts), houses around 19.7 million persons and ranks seventh in the world. It was ranked 17th in 1950, the earliest year for which data is available.
Delhi and its extended suburbs, with its population of 22.7 million as of 2011, is the second most populous urban sprawl in the world after Tokyo, outsizing the traditionally populous Shanghai and New York. With its 1.4 million persons in 1950, Delhi was not even in the top 30.
Kolkata is the other Indian mega-city in the league of the world's top 30 populated cities, ranked 10th.
The demographic transition over the decades shows how mega cities (those with a population of over 10 million), which were once the preserve of the so-called industrialised countries, have now spread across developing countries like India. "In 1950, 19 of the top 30 cities were in industrialized countries. By 2011, that number had shrunk to eight," states the 2013 data sheet.
The shifting epicentre of mega-cities to emerging economies like India has much to do with the higher population growth recorded there, Carl Haub, who co-authored the data sheets, told TOI over email, pointing out that developed countries have little or no growth. "Rural to urban migration too plays a large role as people move seeking better jobs and a better life," he added. The 2013 projections, for instance, show that Africa will add another 1.3 billion between 2011 and 2050, its growth exceeding that of Asia which will add a billion people in the same period. Europe and North America, in contrast, are not expected to grow.
Urban experts point out that mega-cities in India are, in fact, saturated. "The growth rate of population in 22 of the 25 largest cities in India has gone down. This is not just due to natural factors like decline in fertility, but because these cities have become exclusionary in nature. They are discouraging migrants, particularly poor and unskilled labourers from coming in," says Amitabh Kundu of JNU's Centre for the Study of Regional Development. He explains that despite this, many more cities with a 10 million-plus population have emerged in India primarily because population growth in the country is still very high compared to other more developed and urbanised countries that have large cities.
Experts point out that the very phenomenon of mega-cities reflects the skewed nature of development. After all, people rushing to Mumbai and Delhi reflect the lack of opportunities and basic amenities in smaller towns and villages.
Delhi world's second most populous mega-city - The Times of India
