African urbanization trends and prospects
Population studies
25
Issue: 2
(12 - 2011)
The paper aims at analysing and projecting urbanization trends using United
Nations, World Urbanization Prospects data, 2007 Revision. A third order polyno-
mial is used to model urban-rural growth difference from 1950 to 2005 country
by country. The results of the model are compared to UN projection on urban
growth for the period 2010-2050. Using the new model, the African urban popu-
lation is projected to stagnate around its current level below 40%, with little var-
iations by regions up to 2050, while the UN predicts 62%. The findings suggest
that UN projections are excessively high and do not match the level of economic
and social development in Africa.
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