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Urban Settlement: Data, Measures, and Trends

Author

Listed:
  • David E. Bloom

    (Harvard School of Public Health)

  • David Canning

    (Harvard School of Public Health)

  • Günther Fink

    (Harvard School of Public Health)

  • Tarun Khanna

    (Harvard Business School)

  • Patrick Salyer

    (Harvard School of Public Health)

Abstract

This paper examines data on urbanization. We review the most commonly used data sources and highlight the difficulties inherent in defining and measuring the size of urban versus rural populations. We show that differences in the measurement of urban populations across countries and over time are significant and discuss the methods used for these measurements, as well as for projecting urbanization. We also analyze recent trends and patterns in urbanization. Finally, we describe the principal channels of urbanization and examine their relative contributions to the global urbanization process.

Suggested Citation

  • David E. Bloom & David Canning & Günther Fink & Tarun Khanna & Patrick Salyer, 2007. "Urban Settlement: Data, Measures, and Trends," PGDA Working Papers 2907, Program on the Global Demography of Aging.
    • Handle: RePEc:gdm:wpaper:2907
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    File URL: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/pgda/WorkingPapers/2007/PGDA_WP_29.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Nguyen Minh Ha & Nguyen Dang Le & Pham Trung-Kien, 2019. "The Impact of Urbanization on Income Inequality: A Study in Vietnam," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-14, September.
    2. Slawa Rokicki & Livia Montana & Günther Fink, 2014. "Impact of Migration on Fertility and Abortion: Evidence From the Household and Welfare Study of Accra," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(6), pages 2229-2254, December.
    3. Antonio Russo, 2014. "Mapping Small and Medium Sized Town in Europe: Classifications, Spatial Trends and Ontological Issues," ERSA conference papers ersa14p605, European Regional Science Association.
    4. Günther Fink & Christopher R Sudfeld & Goodarz Danaei & Majid Ezzati & Wafaie W Fawzi, 2014. "Scaling-Up Access to Family Planning May Improve Linear Growth and Child Development in Low and Middle Income Countries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(7), pages 1-9, July.
    5. Anima Gupta, 2014. "Measuring Urbanization around a Regional Capital: The Case of Bhopal District," Working Papers id:5716, eSocialSciences.
    6. de Brauw, Alan & Mueller, Valerie & Lee, Hak Lim, 2014. "The Role of Rural–Urban Migration in the Structural Transformation of Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 33-42.

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    Keywords

    urbanization; urbanization data;

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