Historical Studies (Chinese Edition)

No.6, 2014

 

The Formation and Development of Metropolitan Areas: A Review of World Urbanization since the Mid-20th Century      

(Abstract)

 

Wang Xu

 

Since the mid-20th century, a number of countries with highly developed economies have reached a stage in which their urban population outnumbers their rural population, prompting a phased transition that differs from traditional urbanization. The focus of urbanization shifts outwards to the suburbs and the urban layout changes from being highly concentrated to being relatively dispersed; urban spatial structures move from being monocentric to polycentric, bringing about a new allocation of regional resources; and differences between city and suburb blur as they become unified rather than separate, thus forming integrated local entities—metropolitan areas. This transition marks a shift of focus in urban development worldwide, i.e., from a simple shift of population to a structural transformation and from city-focused development to the comprehensive development of rural and urban areas. This is the advanced stage of urbanization.