The given data illustrates the changes in the percentage of city residents in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand over a certain period.
It is clear that the percentage of city dwellers rose significantly in all countries throughout the period. Notably, Malaysia and Indonesia experienced more dramatic changes than the other two states.
In Malaysia, in 1970, 30% of the total population were living in city areas. There was a sharp increase in the figure by 40% between 1970 and 2010. Then a mild growth was seen from 70% to around 85% by 2040. Indonesia followed a similar pattern, where the proportion of people living in cities rose significantly from around 15% in 1970 to over 60% in 2040.
In contrast, the Philippines and Thailand had more gradual changes. The Philippines experienced a considerable growth in the percentage of city residents from around 30% to nearly 50% in 1990. After that, there was a slight decline by 10% in the next 20 years, before rising again, reaching approximately 55% at the end of the period. In terms of Thailand, the proportion of city dwellers rose mildly in the first 20 years, after which there was a levelling-off until 2020. Then the figure rose noticeably by around 20% in 2040.