The bar chart compares the proportion of people who lived in cities worldwide and in five different continents (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America) in 1950, 2015, and with a projection for 2050.
Overall, most individuals lived in urban areas in North America. However, the urban population of Africa was the lowest, and the figures for all regions are expected to rise in the future. Of particular note is a gradual increase in the number of urban dwellers in all categories over time.
In 1950, the global urban population accounted for 29%, followed by Africans at 15% and Asians at 17%. In contrast, the figures for the whole world, and both Africa and Asia rose to 49%, 37%, and 41%, respectively in 2015. Meanwhile, the percentage stood at 51% in Europe, slightly higher than that of Latin America at 42% in 1950. Regarding North America, the percentage of urban residents was at a high of 64%, in comparison with a moderate increase of 79% in 2015. Likewise, Latin America experienced a dramatic rise of 78%, compared to Europe’s 72%.
As the chart shows, the proportion of North Americans living in urban areas is projected to reach a peak of 87% in 2050. Similarly, the figure for Latin America is forecasted to increase to 84%, being slightly higher than 78% in Europe. Additionally, there is predicted growth to 60% in the number of global inhabitants, which will be followed by 51% in Africa and 54% in Asia by 2050.