Many cities of the “Global South” are experiencing a rapid growth in the

urbanization.Although there are differences in urbanization and development throughout the

world (with some developing and reaping greater benefits from this process than others),

urbanization has frequently led to excellent economic possibilities as well as chances for

human growth. The Global South (developing countries), encompassing regions of Africa,

Latin America, Asia, and Oceania, grapples with unique urbanization challenges that stem

from rapid population growth, inadequate infrastructure, environmental sustainability

concerns, and socio-economic disparities. With such rapid population growth, these regions

or countries will face many challenges, which includes increasing economic opportunities for

urban dwellers, improving transportation infrastructure and housing, providing social services

and benefits, maintaining a comfortable living condition, and developing effective systems of

governance and management (“Urbanization Takes on New Dimensions”, 2001). This essay

begins by discussing causes of urbanization in the “Global South”. It then explores some of

challenges that countries need to force. Subsequently, it describes why they have become a

major concern when considering urban development planning and strategies.

To begin with, urbanization is caused by natural births (more births than deaths) or

population growth and migration to core cities due to industrialization and other socio-

economic factors, as more and more people leave villages and farms to live in the cities,

urban growth results.The United Nations Habitat in 2006 described it as the increased

concentration of people in cities rather than in rural areas(1). There are various types of

settlements that constitute urbanization or urbanized settlement and they include towns, cities

and conurbations, and megapolis. Demographic factors have accounted largely for the natural

increase in the growth of the cities in the Third World. This is a result of the rapid population

growth in countries owing to rising birth rates vis-à-vis declining death rates. Technological

and economic factors have also accounted for rural-urban migration. Technological
advancement in the area of transport and communications has also facilitated migration. The

quest for white-collar jobs (employment opportunities) in the cities’ industries also facilitates

migration. Industrialization is a major cause of urbanization. Urban cities have expanded

employment opportunities. Therefore, push factors such as lack of employment opportunities,

decline in agricultural income, increasing population pressure on land, and lack of education

and health facilities among others have made rural people migrate to cities on account of

better employment opportunities. Many social factors such as the attraction of cities, better

standard of living, better education facilities, and the need for status induce people to migrate

to cities. In rural sectors, people have to depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Whereas,

urban areas are characterized by sophisticated technology, better infrastructure,

communication, and medical facilities. People, however, feel they can leave a comfortable

life in cities and migrate to cities. Accessibility to economic activities, administration,

provision of social amenities, nature of soils, absence of disaster, relief, climate, etc are

factors responsible for the growth of urbanization.

A significant challenge posed by urbanization in the Global South is the rapid influx of

people into urban areas. This demographic shift is driven by factors such as rural-to-urban

migration, natural population increase, and, in some cases, conflict-induced displacement. As

a result, urban centers become densely populated, exerting immense pressure on housing,

transportation, and essential services.

One of the most major problems facing emerging nations is housing. Of all the problems

confronting the urban poor, none is more severe than finding quality housing (Giddens, 2010:

Handelman; 2006: Fada, 1992).According to a United Nations (UN) projection, Nigeria's

population is expected to reach 289 million by 2050. The very insufficient housing is one

important issue that has to be given urgent consideration. This is especially true in light of the

fact that there is always a great deal of demand for housing and other necessities due to the
world's fastest population growth. The majority of houses and apartments constructed for

private sale or rental in developing nations, like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kaduna, Kano,

Abuja, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Aracajo, Cairo, Egypt, Abibjan, Cote d'Ivoire, Nairobi, and

Kisumu, Kenya, are intended for the middle and upper classes, as low-income housing is not

profitable enough to draw in much investment. As a result, there is a tremendous

concentration of people in already-existing urban slums. Due to their inability to pay for

housing or development, the poorest city inhabitants are often left homeless and live beneath

bridges or in interior spaces that would otherwise be utilized as building materials. According

Handelman (2006, p.177), “In all, the total shantytown residents, slum dwellers, and

homeless account for over half the population of the third world cities”. It makes sense;

according to UN estimates, 100 million people were homeless globally. This isn't overly

dramatic. Several hundred thousand individuals who have nowhere to live reside in

cemeteries in less developed nations like Cairo. While about one third of the populations in

Manila and Sao Paulo live in squatter settlements and other forms of spontaneous shelter

(Handelman, 2006).These individuals' living circumstances are very unhygienic.In

industrialized countries, new migrants are more likely to settle close to the central part of the

city while in the developing countries the reverse is the case (Giddens, 2010). The

consequences of urban housing shortage in Nigeria are overcrowding, and the growth of

slums and shanty settlements which have both physiological and psychosocial implications

for the population that are imprisoned in them.

Around the world, the transportation infrastructure is essential to sustaining socioeconomic

activity, particularly in boosting the vibrancy and allure of metropolitan regions. Urban

regions are places where economic activity has accumulated and concentrated to a great

degree. People and products moving around is a fundamental component of all

socioeconomic activity. People who work in the various industries, as well as goods and
customers, must relocate.On the other hand, fast urbanization and population growth in

emerging nations have resulted in the quick expansion of big cities, which are severely

impacted by the abrupt increase in travel demand. In most emerging nations, the demand for

transportation infrastructure and services was significantly higher than the supply. In

developing nations, the urban transportation system suffers from lost hours and squandered

fuel due to traffic congestion. Traffic jams cost billions of man hours in lost productivity.

Travel expenses have gone up significantly, particularly for those in the lower commercial

classes. Carbon emissions and noise pollution have surged as a result of growing usage of

private automobiles and lax, infrequently scheduled emission inspections and controls. As a

result, there is a decline in public health due to bad air quality. Many developing-nation cities

struggle with issues including air pollution, noise pollution, traffic accidents, high population

density, and deteriorating transportation infrastructure. Rapid urbanization, a sharp rise in

motorization, poor public transportation, a lack of hierarchical highway, road, and street

systems, a significant rise in traffic congestion, inadequate or non-motorized transportation

infrastructure, a lack of necessary technical skills for urban transport planning, management,

and operations, a relative decline in the use of public transportation and its services, dispersed

institutional arrangements lacking in effective coordination, lax enforcement of traffic laws

and regulations, etc. are some additional challenges facing urban transport in developing

cities.

The implications of rapid population growth are most acutely felt in informal settlements,

where a substantial portion of the urban population resides. These areas lack proper

infrastructure, sanitation facilities, and access to clean water, perpetuating cycles of poverty

and inequality. In underdeveloped nations, one of the main issues with urbanization is the

availability of poor-quality water. Water is without a doubt the most basic human necessity.

However, the quality and quantity of the water supply do not satisfy the demands of the
expanding population in emerging nations. Particularly during the dry season, when people

scurry around seeking water from taps, rivers, and streams, the issue of water shortage is

severe. It takes many kilometers for people to look for water. It seems sense, considering that

over 20% of urban residents worldwide, according to a UN statistic, lack access to safe water.

Customers may have harmful health effects from these. In towns and cities, low-quality water

makes individuals more susceptible to water-borne illnesses including cholera, typhoid fever,

and dysentery. Consequently, addressing the ramifications of rapid urbanization is a critical

aspect of sustainable urban development. Urbanization in the Global South is often

characterized by a lag in the development of critical infrastructure and basic services. Many

cities struggle to provide reliable access to clean water, sanitation, electricity, and

transportation. This inadequacy leads to health hazards, environmental degradation, and

economic inefficiencies. Additionally, deficient access to basic services impedes the overall

well-being and productivity of urban populations.

Insufficient infrastructure exacerbates the proliferation of informal settlements, where

residents resort to self-built structures without access to basic services. This not only

perpetuates a cycle of poverty but also hinders governments' efforts to implement effective

urban planning and development strategies. Urbanization in the Global South often leads to

environmental degradation and increased vulnerability to natural disasters. The rapid

expansion of urban areas can result in deforestation, air and water pollution, and loss of

biodiversity.Air pollution is a major problem coming mostly from cars, buses trucks,

industries, etc. It has been reported that living in some developing countries like Mexico and

China is equivalent to smoking 40 sticks of cigarettes a day. Many families pay severe

penalty mainly to lack of clean fresh air and close contact with sufferers of air-borne diseases

like tuberculosis, meningitis, measles, influenza, cough, chickenpox,diphtheria, pneumonia,

etc. Additionally, inadequate waste management systems contribute to environmental hazards

and health risks for urban populations. Moreover, many cities in the Global South are situated

in regions prone to natural disasters, such as coastal areas susceptible to hurricanes or low-

lying regions prone to flooding. The impacts of climate change exacerbate these

vulnerabilities, necessitating the integration of resilience and sustainability considerations

into urban development planning.

Growing economic and social inequality in the Global South is associated with urbanization.

Even while cities are frequently centers of the economy, offering chances for work and

revenue generating, they can conceal glaring differences in wealth and resource

accessibility.The informal sector provides chances for jobless individuals (those unable to

find formal employment) to fulfill their basic necessities in many developing nations. Not

only does the informal sector employ large numbers of people who otherwise would not have

a job, but it also contributes significantly to the official economies of the majority of today's

less developed nations. This range from “casual work in manufacturing and construction to

small scale trading activities, the unregulated informal sectors offer earning opportunities to

poor or unskilled workers” (Giddens, 2010. P.233). Although these unofficial economic

activities help a lot of people make ends meet in cities, they also have an impact on the

economies of emerging nations.This implies that there are no taxes or regulations on the

unofficial economy. Therefore, workers are not protected by minimum wage laws and lack

access to government health programmes (Handelman, 2006). It is important that attention

should be paid to formalizing or regulating the large informal sector. Moreover, informal

economy associated with urban dwellers is less productive than the formal economy. In most

developing economies where economic activity is largely dependent on this sector fail to

collect much needed revenue through taxation. The low level of productivity also affects the

general economy.
Furthermore, social exclusion and marginalization are common challenges faced by

vulnerable populations, including women, ethnic minorities, and migrants. This exclusion

limits access to healthcare, education, and other necessary services and feeds poverty cycles.

Due to the widespread nature of poverty, current social services are unable to provide the

necessary health care, family planning guidance, education, and training.Developing nations

have additional social and economic challenges as a result of their uneven age distribution.In

developing nations, a far higher percentage of the population is under fifteen years old than in

developed nations. Young people require assistance and education, yet many developing

nations do not have the financial means to offer universal education. Many children have to

work full-time when their families are impoverished, while others are forced to live as street

children and scavenge whatever they can. As they grew older, the majority of street kids

ended up homeless, jobless, or both. Addressing economic disparities and social inequality is

essential for creating inclusive and sustainable urban environments.

In summary, the process of urbanization in the Global South poses a variety of complex

issues that demand careful planning and strategies for urban development. There are several

urgent issues that require coordinated actions from governments, urban planners, and

communities. These include rapid population increase, inadequate infrastructure,

environmental deterioration, and economic inequities. Cities in the Global South may exploit

the potential for economic growth, higher living standards, and a better quality of life for

their citizens by emphasizing inclusive and sustainable urban development. This calls for an

all-encompassing strategy that strikes a balance between social justice, environmental

sustainability, and economic advancement.

References:

Gidens, A. (2010). Sociology. New Delhi: Polity Press.

Handelman, H. (2006). The Challenge of Third world Development. New Jersey: Pearson

Education, Inc.

Urbanization Process In Asia. (2021, September 23). Edubirdie. Retrieved November 2,

2023, from https://edubirdie.com/examples/urbanization-process-in-asia/