Megacities

• What is a megacity?

  An urban area with a population of 10 million or more
• What is the global distribution of megacities? (TEA)

  Trend: Mostly found in HICs

  Evidence: London in UK, Los Angeles in USA

  Anomaly: Delhi in India which is an NEE

  
• How does population growth differ in Mumbai and New York?

  • Mumbai: Rapid due to rural-urban migration.
  • New York: Slower, mostly from international migration.
• Importance on megacities:

  • 80% of the world's largest companies have headquarters in cities
  • 8% of the world's population live in megacities
  • Biggest airports and most international flights
  • Many important global decisions take place in mega cities to do with economic power and global influence
• Key Differences Between Mumbai (NEE) and New York (HIC) Megacities

  • Development: Mumbai is an NEE (India); New York is a HIC (USA).
  • Population Growth: Mumbai grows rapidly due to rural-urban migration; New York grows slowly through international migration.
  • Housing: Mumbai has many informal slums (e.g. Dharavi); New York has mostly formal housing but some affordability issues.
  • Employment: Mumbai has a large informal economy (street work, recycling); New York has mainly formal jobs in finance and services.
  • Infrastructure & Services: Mumbai struggles with sanitation, clean water, and healthcare access; New York has well-developed systems.
  • Urban Challenges: Mumbai faces severe overcrowding, traffic, and pollution; New York has similar issues but manages them more effectively.