Modern Cities

Modern Cities

Modern Cities

A notable trend of the 19th and 20th centuries has been the constant growth of urban communities at the expense of rural districts. City populations represent an increasing proportion of the total national populations not only in highly industrialized nations but also in agrarian countries. The principal causes of this urban growth have been the development of the factory system, improvements in transportation, and the mechanization of agriculture, which reduced the need for farm labor. Many modern cities have been planned as industrial centers near sources of raw materials. More than 350 such cities were built in the USSR.

One of the characteristics of modern urban growth is the development of suburbs adjacent to and economically dependent on the central city. Much of the increase in population of modern cities is accommodated in these suburban extensions. In the older portions of the city the population is displaced by business and industrial expansion; rapid-transit facilities make it feasible for persons employed within the city to take up residence in outlying districts.

After World War II cities everywhere continued to expand far beyond their political boundaries. This has given rise to vast new governmental and quasi-governmental agencies to deal with the problems of metropolitan areas. Representatives of city governments, as well as of private interests, frequently participate in such bodies. Typical of interurban agencies are the Chicago Sanitary District and those concerned with the problems of the London region.

In 1910 the U.S. had 31 cities with populations of 100,000 to 250,000, and 19 with 250,000 or more. In 1990 cities with populations of 100,000 to 250,000 numbered 131, and cities with 250,000 or more numbered 63. In 1890, 15.4 percent of the population lived in cities of 100,000 or more. In 1990 just over one-fourth of the population did so, and three-fourths of the total U.S. population lived in cities and towns of 2500 or more. (1)

Resources

Notes and References

  1. Encarta Online Encyclopedia

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