There's a million stories in the city...

by Gene on Jul. 10th, 2007
in Historic Perspectives

comments

My kind of town: As of 2008, more than half of the world's population will live in cities. Only a lucky few will get to live here.

...and soon there will be about 3 billion more. According to a UN report, next year half of the world's population will live in cities. Throughout human history, most people have lived in rural areas or small communities. This will mark the first time ever that more people will live inside of cities than outside.

While life in a well-planned, well-maintained city can be quite pleasant (Minneapolis/St. Paul, anybody?), urban life does bring its challenges. Health services and sanitation systems are stretched thin, and disease outbreaks are common. The concentration of poverty often breeds crime. Having so many people in such a small area puts great pressure on local ecosystems. Since most cities are near water, those environments are especially at risk.