Taiwan, China

The era of the megalopolis: How the world’s cities are merging

As urbanization spreads, cites are merging into one another to create 'megalopolises'.

As urbanization spreads, cites are merging into one another to create 'megalopolises'. Image: Unsplash/Kevin Nalty

James Cheshire
Professor of Geographic Information and Cartography, UCL
Michael Batty
Chair and Professor of Planning, UCL
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Taiwan, China

As the world moves towards total urbanisation, settlements are spreading out by merging into one another to create what urban experts term “megalopolises”.
As the world moves towards total urbanisation, settlements are spreading out by merging into one another to create what urban experts term “megalopolises”. Image: The Conversation.

A map of light emissions beaming from the Guangdong-Hong Kong megalopolis.
A map of light emissions beaming from the Guangdong-Hong Kong megalopolis. Image: The Conversation.
Cities will continue to grow and change physically and turn into megalopolis.
Cities will continue to grow and change physically and turn into megalopolis. Image: The Conversation.

The West African megalopolis stretches from Lago in Nigeria to Abidjan in Ivory Coast.
The West African megalopolis stretches from Lago in Nigeria to Abidjan in Ivory Coast. Image: The Conversation.
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Related topics:
Taiwan, ChinaCities and UrbanizationTechnological Transformation
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