WORLD

URBANISATION
PROSPECTS REPORT
AN
ANALSYSIS
ON SAARC
COUNTRIES
 INTRODUCTION
1. The future of the world’s population is urban. The global urban population is projected to grow by 2.5 billion urban
dwellers between 2018 and 2050, with nearly 90 per cent of the increase concentrated in Asia and Africa.

2. 2018 Revision of World Urbanization Prospects report contains the latest estimates of the urban and rural
populations of 233 countries or areas from 1950 to 2018 and projections to 2050, as well as estimates of population
size from 1950 to 2018 and projections to 2035 for all urban settlements with 300,000 inhabitants or more in 2018.

3. South Asia, subregion of Asia, consisting of the Indo-Gangetic Plain and peninsular India. It includes the countries
of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka; Afghanistan and the Maldives are often
considered part of South Asia.

4. Currently South Asia is the home of 1.836 billion population and is 34% urbanized. The GDP growth is expected to
pick up in 2018, reaching an average of 7.1%, confirming the region as one of the world’s fastest-growing.
 A Little brief
on SAARC
Countries !
The South Asian Association of Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) was created in 1985 to
evolve a regional cooperative framework
Presently, there are eight member countries in
SAARC and nine Observers.
Pakistan's diplomat Amjad Hussain B Sial is
the present chairman of SAARC.
According to World Bank
statistics, the total population of
South Asian countries are 1.836
billion. Out of which 632,092,764
is the total population living is
urban areas i.e., approximately
35% urbanized.
Total GDP is estimated to be nearly $1,959.9 billion in
South Asia in 2019 and GDP per capita growth rate is
approximately 4%.
However this region seems to fail in utilizing its huge urban
population As the population of South Asia is expected to
grow by 250 million over the next 15 years, the region
could be left further behind if it is unable to harness the
benefits of urbanization.
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION
 01
DIFFERENT
DEFINITIONS
OF URBAN
AREA
 CLASSIFICATION
Countries Administrative unit Population Non- Area Public utilities other
agricultural
occupation
Afghanistan           
Bangladesh        
Bhutan       
India        
Nepal       
Maldives          
Pakistan        
Sri Lanka          
POPULATION GROWTH URBAN VS RURAL
PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION RESIDING IN URBAN
AREAS BY INCOME GROUP
POPULATION DENSITY VS INCOME
SHARE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN URBAN AGGLOMERATIONS
OF MORE THAN 1 MILLION FROM 1960-2019
 ECONOMIC GROWTH
GDP PER CAPITA
OVER PAST 10 YEARS
POPULATION PROJECTION

Country 1950 2050

Afghanistan 6.00% 41.7%

Bangladesh 4.28% 58.36%

Bhutan 2.10% 57.66%

India 4.40% 52.84%

Maldives 10.61% 53.87%

Nepal 2.68% 37.38%

Pakistan 17.52% 52.20%

Sri lanka 15.33% 31.62%

 URBAN VS RURAL 1950 URBAN VS RURAL 2050
Urban Rural Urban Rural

31.62
41.64 42.34 37.38
47.16 46.13 47.8
58.83

82.96 82.48 84.67

94 89.39
95.72 97.9 97.32

68.38
58.36 57.66 62.62
52.84 53.87 52.2
41.17

17.04 17.52 15.33

6 10.61
4.28 2.1 2.68
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 CONCLUSION

 Economic integration of the South Asian region must base on the strength of its
members.

 Bhutan and Maldives two tiny countries of the region, with less than a million
population.

 Bhutan is benefiting by proximity to India. Maldives is developing fast by tourism

aiming at individuals in the growing middle income class in India.

 Bangladesh is achieving higher growth rates than before. War torn Afghanistan and
Pakistan could not emerge above the ethnic convicts to focus on economic growth
also Nepal is yet struggling to form a political consensus .

 Given above potentials and absurdities a growing interest particularly focusing on

the role that SAARC Countries can play in development of the South Asia region has
become an interesting topic of research.