Urbanization: what is it? The Impact of Urbanization in the Modern World

For sure, each of you had to hear the term "urbanization". What it is? The roots of this concept should be found in ancient Latin, where the word "Urbanus", which means "urban", existed. Today, urbanization is usually referred to as an increase in the percentage of urban population in the state and a decrease in rural population .

Nevertheless, this designation does not fully reflect all the processes that accompany urbanization. What are these processes? First of all, we are talking about the increasing role of cities as such in the social and cultural life of society. In cities, industry, cultural and social centers, financial flows are concentrated at the same time . In addition, in the process of urbanization, large cities are beginning to absorb neighboring small villages or satellite towns, villages and other small settlements are transformed into cities or even cities.

It is also important when discussing a phenomenon such as urbanization, which is a process that varies in different countries. Depending on its level, all states of the planet are divided into three groups: low (less than 32%), medium (32 to 73%) and high (above 73%).

You should also know that there are different forms of urbanization. For example, urbanization of nature stands alone - a process that suggests that under the influence of large-scale development, natural landscapes are transformed into artificial landscapes. In many countries, in particular those located in Latin America and South-East Asia, there is another interesting phenomenon. It was called "false urbanization". This means that the number of urban population is growing due to high birth rate. But at the same time, there is no development of the cities themselves, an increase in the number of jobs and infrastructure. As a result, the interlayer of the economically inactive population and the emergence of disadvantaged regions on the outskirts of megacities - slums - are increasing.

Nevertheless, one can not say, discussing such a phenomenon as urbanization, that this is an absolutely harmless process that does not have a negative impact on the life of society. In particular, every year the problem of labor shortage in the food industry connected with agriculture becomes more acute. In addition, today in almost all cities there is an unfavorable ecological situation, air, water and soil are extremely polluted because of the large number of enterprises.

In fairness, it should also be said that examples of urbanization that occur in history have their positive consequences. In particular, the living standard of the urban population is constantly improving, the conditions are becoming more comfortable and safe. The urban environment also provides much more opportunities for developing the creative potential of residents, the development of new technologies.

The processes of urbanization to some extent affect all countries of the world and are irreversible. They are in many ways pushing humanity to open new promising solutions for organizing a balanced and comfortable life for the whole society.