India to Lead Urban Population Growth by 2050: UN Report

The UN reported that India and six other nations will be the driving force behind more than half of the world’s urban population growth between 2025 and 2050, with over 500 million new urban residents projected. The World Urbanisation Prospects 2025 report highlighted India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia as crucial players in shaping the future of global urbanization, given that these countries are home to 30% of the world’s population. These countries are expected to contribute over half of the global growth in city dwellers by 2050.
The report from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) underlined the increasing urbanization trend, with cities now housing 45% of the world’s 8.2 billion population. By 2050, city population growth will be concentrated in India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia. Collectively, these countries are estimated to add more than 500 million city residents by 2050, representing over half of the global increase in city dwellers projected for that period.
The report also emphasized the significance of sustainable urbanization in these key countries, stating that their success or failure in managing city growth will have profound implications for global development outcomes, including progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and climate objectives. India and China, the two most populous countries, are predicted to have the largest populations residing in towns between now and 2050, with India’s town population reaching 44% and China’s at 40% by 2025. Despite experiencing rapid city population growth between 1950 and 1975, both countries have seen a slowdown, mainly due to declining fertility rates and slower overall population growth.
The UN forecasts that the number of megacities will increase to 37 globally by 2050, with projections showing significant population growth in cities like Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Dar es Salaam (United Republic of Tanzania), Hajipur (India), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Although 3,000 cities saw population decline between 2015 and 2025, towns remain the most common settlement type in 71 countries, with India and China hosting a significant portion of town dwellers. The report highlighted the importance of urbanization in driving sustainable development and climate resilience, stressing the need for integrated national policies to achieve balanced territorial development.