14th Apr 2023
- A megacity has a population greater than 10 million people.
- There are currently 34 megacities, including the Muslim-majority cities of Istanbul, Cairo, Dhaka, Karachi, Lahore and Jakarta.
- Some are expanding and merging into giant super-cities known as megalopolises. The biggest megalopolis is the Greater Bay Area of South China, with a population of 86.7 million people.
- 2008 was the turning point where the number of people living in urban areas overtook the number living in a rural setting.
- Experts predict that by the end of the 21st century, cities will account for 85% of Earth’s 10 billion inhabitants.
- According to the UN, almost 1-in-3 people in urban areas live in slums.
- Egypt is moving its capital city from Cairo to a new, purpose-built city currently called the New Administrative Capital (NAC). They haven’t yet agreed on a name.
- Planned to be completed in 2030, the NAC will feature the new tallest building in the world reaching a staggering 1km high.
- Saudi Arabia is currently building a futuristic city called The Line. It will be a linear smart city - 170km long – and powered entirely by renewable energy. It has an expected population of 9 million.
