Over half the world’s people now live in cities. The latest
"Global Report on Human Settlements" says a significant change took place last
year. The report 1 this week from U.N.
Habitat, a United Nations agency. A century ago, 2 than five percent of all people lived in
cities. 3 the middle of this century it
could be seventy percent, or 4 six and
a half billion people. Already three-fourths of people in
5 countries live in cities. Now most
urban population 6 is in the developing
world. Urbanization can 7 to social and economic progress, but also put 8
on cities to provide housing and 9
. The new report says almost two hundred thousand people move
10 cities and towns each day. It says
worsening inequalities, 11 by social
divisions and differences in 12 , could
result in violence and crime 13 cities
plan better. Another issue is urban sprawl (无序扩展的城区). This is
where cities 14 quickly into rural
areas, sometimes 15 a much faster rate
than urban population growth. Sprawl is
16 in the United States. Americans move a lot. In a recent
study, Art Hall at the University of Kansas found that people are moving away
from the 17 cities to smaller ones. He
sees a 18 toward "de-urbanization"
across the nation. 19 urban economies
still provide many 20 that rural areas
do not.