Nature of Megacities
Megacities are urban places with populations of 10 million people or more. There are approximately 35 megacities globally, with 25 of these being located in the developing world.
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Character of Megacities
Megacities in the developing world often exhibit rapid population growth and a numbers of issues associated with the inability to accomodate such a rapid rapid growth of people.
They are frequently sites of dependance as their manufacturing industries rely on Trans-National Corporate activities. Developing world megacities have often been colonial hubs, such as manila or Delhi or the may be capital cities such as Tehran, Buenos Aires or Mexico city. Or they might be neither of these and have simply adopted the alpha city status for their nation, such as Lagos or Sāo Paulo.
They are frequently sites of dependance as their manufacturing industries rely on Trans-National Corporate activities. Developing world megacities have often been colonial hubs, such as manila or Delhi or the may be capital cities such as Tehran, Buenos Aires or Mexico city. Or they might be neither of these and have simply adopted the alpha city status for their nation, such as Lagos or Sāo Paulo.
Spatial Patterns of Megacities
Megacities were first located in the developed world, however, their growth in number over the late 20th and early 21st century has been almost entirely in the developing world. This growth has been prominent in Asia, and to a lesser extent in Latin America. However, it is also now emerging in African nations too.
The Economist, 2015
Further Reading
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/make-cities-explode-size-these-interactive-maps-180952832/?no-ist
http://www.economist.com/node/21642053
http://www.economist.com/node/21642053