We are entering the age of the megalopolis, says the World Economic Forum in a recent dystopian video. A megalopolis is a very large contiguous urban area.
Across the world, cities are beginning to merge as they grow and expand. Slowly but surely, they are forming supercities.
The largest megalopolis in China is known as the Greater Bay Area.
Eleven cities, including Hong Kong and Shenzhen in Guangdong, are covered, with more than 70 million people living there. The megalopolis accounts for 11.6 percent of China’s GDP.
In West Africa, a megalopolis is being built that could become the world’s largest.
It is 1,000 kilometers long and covers nine cities in five countries, from Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire to Lagos in Nigeria.
According to experts, this will be the most densely populated region on earth.
By 2100, up to 500 million people will live here. More and more people are moving to the cities.
Twenty years ago, less than half of the world’s population lived in cities; today, 60 percent do.
By 2100, it is expected to be around 85 percent. By 2030, 1.2 million square kilometers of urban area will be added.
Would you want to live in a megalopolis? Tristate City?