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Urban sprawl

Jul 13,2014 - Last updated at Jul 13,2014

The recent UN World Urbanisation Prospects report indicated that two-thirds of the world population will live in urban areas by 2050. 

As of now, half of the world’s seven billion people already live in urban areas with the number of megacities on the increase all the time, especially in Asia and Africa. 

Jordan is no different, with the size of urban areas steadily on the increase. 

Many Jordanians seem to have a preference for cities and move from rural areas to urban centres. 

Amman and its environs already house nearly one-third of the total Jordanian population and if this trend continues other major cities in the country like Zarqa will be even more overcrowded.

The problem is that rapid urbanisation poses other challenges, such as the appropriate plans for providing basic services to the population, including education, healthcare, housing, infrastructure, transportation, energy and employment. 

As the UN report says, without proper planning well in advance, Jordan and other countries projected to experience similar growth of urban populations could witness slums and unhealthy living environments. 

This is not to mention the threats to the environment associated with urbanisation. 

It would be infinitely more cost-effective to avoid dense population centres and encourage dispersed population growth. 

This, too, would require planning with a view to dispersing business and industrial centres across the country in order to encourage people to stay put in their hometowns. 

This policy would also promote economic development throughout the Kingdom and combat the spread of crime and acts of terrorism often associated with poverty.

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