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  • Title: [The urbanized societies of Latin America and the Caribbean: some dimensions and observations].
    Author: Ebanks GE.
    Journal: Notas Poblacion; 1993 Jun; 21(57):125-60. PubMed ID: 12286909.
    Abstract:
    A demographic perspective on urbanization patterns in Latin America and the Caribbean is provided. The level and rate of urbanization and the hierarchies of urban places are considered, along with the determinants and consequences of these trends. Latin America and the Caribbean are the most urbanized of the developing regions, with almost 70% of the population classified as urban in 1991. Most Latin American and Caribbean countries have rural populations capable of maintaining continuous growth of the urban population for some time through internal migration and reclassification of localities. Latin American societies are urban in nature, and it is unlikely that decentralization and deconcentration policies will have significant repercussions. The Latin American urban population is estimated to have increased from 164 million in 1970 to 320 million in 1990, while the rural population increased from 122 to 128 million in the same years. Most governments of the region are preoccupied by the size of the urban population. There are too many urban residents to be absorbed in productive activities, but all require public services generally financed through taxation. The small tax bases result in frequent decisions to finance services through deficit spending. The size of the population and the level of urbanization may not be the principal agents of ecological deterioration or the greatest obstacles to development, but they play a significant role in these problems. Incorporating millions of urban residents into the productive sector of the economy is an important challenge for the development of these societies. The urban population in Latin America and the Caribbean is expected to continue growing at significant rates until well into the next century. In most countries of the region, internal migration accounted for 30-40% of urban growth between 1950 and 1970, but its contribution loses importance as the level of urbanization exceeds 70% or so. The number of urban places as well as the sizes of cities have been increasing. From the end of World War II to the 1970s, the principal urban centers grew most rapidly, but in the 1980s and early 1990s the medium sized cities experienced the most rapid growth. Latin America and the Caribbean are a region of high urban primacy, in which one city, generally the capital, is several times larger than the second city or cities. Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro are megalopolises. Latin America's population is excessively concentrated in three ways: into urban localities, into a small area of the national territory, and into megalopolises. Excessive concentration is associated with severe environmental problems. Most have possible solutions, but costs will be high and great political will is required. The quality of life is poor for a large segment of urban dwellers and poverty is pervasive. Urgent action is needed to improve the quality of life and protect the environment.
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