The line graph gives a breakdown of the changes in urban population of four Asian countries since 1970 alongside future projections until 2040.

In 1970, about 30% of Malai and the Philippines used to live in cities. While both has experienced a rise in their population, the rise has been far shaper for Malayasia, overtaking that of the Philippines in 1990 and reaching the highest recorded proportion in 2020, at just

below 80%. The figure is expected to grow beyond the said number in 2040. The Philippines, although witnessing a much lower rise, will have managed to place over 50% of its population in cities by 2040.

On the other hand, less than one-fifth of the population for Thailand and Indonesia used to live in cities in 1970. Similar to the Philippines, Thailand has experienced a constant rise in its urban population, reaching approximately 30 percent in 2020. The growing trend is expected to rise faster in the coming decades to ultimately fit half of the population in cities. This rising trend, however, has been the sharpest for Indonesia whose urban population exceeded that of Thailand and the Philippines in 2000 and 2010 respectively. This increase should continue until 2040 when every 6 out of 10 Indonesians will be living in cities.

Overall, all the four countries will continue to have a growth in their population, with Malaysia and Indonesia having the sharpest rises.

Band 7.5 sample

Mahdi Modarres