Surge puts world cities on fast track to trouble

Nation & World | Surge puts world cities on fast track to trouble | Seattle Times Newspaper:

LONDON — Most of humanity will be living in cities by next year, raising the threat of increased poverty and religious extremism unless the needs of growing urban populations are met, the United Nations said Wednesday.

Some 3.3 billion of the world's 6.6 billion people will live in cities by 2008, a report by the U.N. population agency said. By 2030, the number of city dwellers is expected to climb to 5 billion.

Without proper planning, cities across the globe face the threat of overwhelming poverty and limited opportunities for young people, said U.N. Population Fund Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid.

'In 2008, half of the world's population will be in urban areas, and we are not ready for them,' Obaid said."