Projection: Metropolitan areas in 2050

[Chrissib]

Originally Posted by Kolony

I think Beijing and Tianjin will definetely merge!!!

I already stated that they won't merge in the next 40 years. In order to merge, the built up area of both cities would have to more than quadruple which is utterly implausible. And please also consider that Tianjin at the moment is mostly growing eastward to the coast instead of growing north-westward to Beijing.

[Kolony]

Originally Posted by Chrissib

I already stated that they won't merge in the next 40 years. In order to merge, the built up area of both cities would have to more than quadruple which is utterly implausible. And please also consider that Tianjin at the moment is mostly growing eastward to the coast instead of growing north-westward to Beijing.

But what about Lanfang??? will it merge with Beijing or Tianjin???

[Chrissib]

Originally Posted by Kolony

But what about Lanfang??? will it merge with Beijing or Tianjin???

Lanfang could be swallowed up by Beijing in the future. Beijing isn't only growing faster than Tianjin, but it's growth direction is also partly in the direction of Lanfang. Beijing is already limited by mountains in the west. To the north there is still space left, but I think that this land between Beijing and Changping will be developed in the next decades which leaves only the south and the east as directions where beijing is able to sprawl much further.

Tianjin steers most of it's growth eastward away from Beijing.

[Kolony]

So Beijing will not merge with Tianjin, but with Lanfang. Got It. Maybe in the distant future folks.

[èđđeůx]

Originally Posted by zaphod

Do you guys think these future megacities in Africa and Southwest Asia will be to able catalyze all that population and end up with a cityscape and infrastructure like New York or Tokyo?

Of course, it's just a matter of urban planning and proper governance. Some cities such as Nairobi, Kigali and Lagos already have master plans out (high-density living) and investing in infrastructure (roads, rail, airports, etc). It is going to be a challenge, and will take decades of infrastructure investment and proper planning to absorb the rapidly growing population to create modern global cities. But at least some are on the right track.

[èđđeůx]

Originally Posted by lowenmeister

Suburbs will probably grow massively in African and South Asian cities. But those suburbs would probably be composed mostly of highrise housing like in China and South Korea. Or maybe the people will live mostly in massive apartment complexes(think sky city). Who knows,2050 is quite far into the future.

I think it will vary with a balance between high rise housing and semi-detached/townhouses depending on city. Kigali has 90% of its land earmarked for apartments, and depending on zone buildings are required to have x mount of floors so this master plan becomes reality by 2050:

[èđđeůx]

Originally Posted by pesto

Looks like same maps and same charts from some time ago.

The LA area is already at 26M (LA, 10; Ventura, 1; the OC, 3.5; the IE, 5.5; SD, 3; greater Tijuana, 3 (probably more but statistics are weak)). This is one continuous populated area except where mountains or laws make buidling illegal.

Given the growth rates in N. Mexico and the capacity for greater density in LA, I would expect 40-45M to be a reaonable guess for 2050. But guesses that far out are mostly for fun.

You're talking about the Southern California mega region? I thought we were solely discussing current metropolitan areas and disregarding if they are apart of on large, continuous region. If you get what I mean. I could see the mega region having 40-45m by 2050 but LA's metro alone should be around 25m hopefully.