Lagos, in Nigeria, ranked as the most populated city in Africa as of 2024, with an estimated population of roughly nine million inhabitants living in the city proper. Kinshasa, in Congo, and Cairo, in Egypt, followed with some 7.8 million and 7.7 million dwellers. Among the 15 largest cities in the continent, another two, Kano, and Ibadan, were located in Nigeria, the most populated country in Africa. Population density trends in Africa As of 2022, Africa exhibited a population density of 48.3 individuals per square kilometer. At the beginning of 2000, the population density across the continent has experienced a consistent annual increment. Projections indicated that the average population residing within each square kilometer would rise to approximately 54 by the year 2027. Moreover, Mauritius stood out as the African nation with the most elevated population density, exceeding 640 individuals per square kilometre. Mauritius possesses one of the most compact territories on the continent, a factor that significantly influences its high population density. Urbanization dynamics in Africa The urbanization rate in Africa was anticipated to reach close to 44 percent in 2021. Urbanization across the continent has consistently risen since 2000, with urban areas accommodating 35 percent of the total population. This trajectory is projected to continue its ascent in the years ahead. Nevertheless, the distribution between rural and urban populations shows remarkable diversity throughout the continent. In 2021, Gabon and Libya stood out as Africa’s most urbanized nations, each surpassing 80 percent urbanization. In 2023, Africa's population was estimated to expand by 2.35 percent compared to the preceding year. Since 2000, the population growth rate across the continent has consistently exceeded 2.45 percent, reaching its pinnacle at 2.59 percent between 2012 and 2013. Although the growth rate has experienced a deceleration, Africa's population will persistently grow significantly in the forthcoming years.

South Africa is the sixth African country with the largest population, counting approximately 60.5 million individuals as of 2021. In 2023, the largest city in South Africa was Cape Town. The capital of Western Cape counted 3.4 million inhabitants, whereas South Africa's second largest city was Durban (eThekwini Municipality), with 3.1 million inhabitants. Note that when observing the number of inhabitants by municipality, Johannesburg is counted as largest city/municipality of South Africa.

From four provinces to nine provinces

Before Nelson Mandela became president in 1994, the country had four provinces, Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Orange Free State, and Transvaal and 10 “homelands” (also called Bantustans). The four larger regions were for the white population while the homelands for its black population. This system was dismantled following the new constitution of South Africa in 1996 and reorganized into nine provinces. Currently, Gauteng is the most populated province with around 15.9 million people residing there, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 11.68 million inhabiting the province. As of 2022, Black African individuals were almost 81 percent of the total population in the country, while colored citizens followed amounting to around 5.34 million.

A diverse population

Although the majority of South Africans are identified as Black, the country’s population is far from homogenous, with different ethnic groups usually residing in the different “homelands”. This can be recognizable through the various languages used to communicate between the household members and externally. IsiZulu was the most common language of the nation with around a quarter of the population using it in- and outside of households. IsiXhosa and Afrikaans ranked second and third with roughly 15 percent and 12 percent, respectively.

Cities ranking and mega citiesTokyo is the world’s largest city with an agglomeration of 37 million inhabitants, followed by New Delhi with 29 million, Shanghai with 26 million, and Mexico City and São Paulo, each with around 22 million inhabitants. Today, Cairo, Mumbai, Beijing and Dhaka all have close to 20 million inhabitants. By 2020, Tokyo’s population is projected to begin to decline, while Delhi is projected to continue growing and to become the most populous city in the world around 2028.By 2030, the world is projected to have 43 megacities with more than 10 million inhabitants, most of them in developing regions. However, some of the fastest-growing urban agglomerations are cities with fewer than 1 million inhabitants, many of them located in Asia and Africa. While one in eight people live in 33 megacities worldwide, close to half of the world’s urban dwellers reside in much smaller settlements with fewer than 500,000 inhabitants.About the dataThe 2018 Revision of the World Urbanization Prospects is published by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). It has been issued regularly since 1988 with revised estimates and projections of the urban and rural populations for all countries of the world, and of their major urban agglomerations. The data set and related materials are available at: https://esa.un.org/unpd/wup/

The Consuming Urban Poverty (CUP) project - based at the University of Cape Town’s African Centre for Cities - sought to generate an understanding of the connections between poverty, governance, urban space, and food. CUP research focused on secondary cities in three countries: Kisumu, Kenya; Kitwe, Zambia; and Epworth, Zimbabwe.The research included three quantitative surveys: A retail mapping exercise, a food vendor and retailer survey, and a household survey. Over 2,200 households and 1,200 food retailers were interviewed (between April 2016 and February 2017) in the three secondary cities. In addition, nearly 4,500 traders were mapped as part of a retailer census in these cities. The surveys examined the nature of the urban food system and the experience of food poverty. Qualitative in-depth interviews were also carried out in households across the three cities. A qualitative reverse value chain assessment was also undertaken, which traced five key food items (aligned to the food groups of protein, staple, vegetable, traditional food item and snack food) from the point of consumption to origin (or a point where no further information was available) in each city.

Urban areas in sub-Saharan Africa are growing rapidly. While there has been considerable attention paid to the challenges of African mega-cities, the experiences of smaller urban areas have been relatively neglected. Secondary cities, with populations of less than half a million, are absorbing two-thirds of all urban population growth in Africa. This project focuses on three such cities to build a clearer picture of the dynamics of poverty in these kinds of urban spaces and to provide information and insights which can address poverty reduction.

Poverty cannot be understood or addressed by focusing on poor individuals or households alone. Rather it needs to be understood as having many intersecting drivers operating at a range of scales, from the individual, to the neighbourhood, to the city and beyond. Nor can it be understood or addressed by focusing on governance, infrastructure or economic growth, alone. The challenge of this project is to understand the dynamic connections between poverty, governance and urban spaces. We argue that the study of food is a powerful lens to understand these connections. As Carolyn Steel writes, "In order to understand cities properly, we need to look at them through food". The project therefore asks the central question: What does the urban food system in three secondary cities in Africa reveal about the dynamics of urban poverty and its governance, and what are the lessons for generic poverty reduction?

There are significant gaps in knowledge about African urban growth and urban poverty. This project therefore consolidates existing survey and census data to understand patterns and trends of urbanization and poverty in the three case study countries and cities. Because there are data gaps, we will also use remote sensing to generate new data on the spread of urban areas. This information provides the basis for general statements to be made about urban poverty, and for poverty reduction strategies generated in the project to be assessed against a broader representation of poverty.

The project turns its focus to food as a way to understand the connections between poverty, governance and urban space. It will conduct a survey in each of three cities to assess how many households, and what kinds of households and individuals, are unable to get enough safe and nutritious food. Poor nutrition is an important indicator and driver of poverty. Most work on food poverty has focused on the household scale alone. This project argues that if food poverty, and poverty more generally, is to be addressed, it will be necessary to take a broader view and look at the food system. The food system in these cities is shifting rapidly as the supermarket sector increases and the flows of food become more global. This project assesses these changes by mapping the food retail environment, interviewing key people involved in the food system and analyses policy in order to test the impact of a changing food system on food poverty, and what appropriate governance responses might be.

The project therefore scans the globe for useful precedents in addressing urban poverty through strategic planning of, and interventions in the urban food system. Throughout the project the focus will be on working with local governments, NGOs and civil society organisations to generate local solutions that are adaptable to multiple contexts.

The outputs from this project are designed to have both practical and academic impacts. Policy impact will be generated by policy briefs and city reports that support the workshops to be held with municipal officials and policy makers. These will be translated into popular media resources to raise public awareness. Reports addressing urbanization, poverty and governance at a wider scale will be...

In 2025, Moscow was the largest city in Europe with an estimated urban agglomeration of 12.74 million people. The French capital, Paris, was the second largest city in 2025 at 11.35 million, followed by the capitals of the United Kingdom and Spain, with London at 9.84 million and Madrid at 6.81 million people. Istanbul, which would otherwise be the largest city in Europe in 2025, is excluded as it is only partially in Europe, with a sizeable part of its population living in Asia. Europe’s population is almost 750 million Since 1950, the population of Europe has increased by approximately 200 million people, increasing from 550 million to 750 million in these seventy years. Before the turn of the millennium, Europe was the second-most populated continent, before it was overtaken by Africa, which saw its population increase from 228 million in 1950 to 817 million by 2000. Asia has consistently had the largest population of the world’s continents and was estimated to have a population of 4.6 billion. Europe’s largest countries Including its territory in Asia, Russia is by far the largest country in the world, with a territory of around 17 million square kilometers, almost double that of the next largest country, Canada. Within Europe, Russia also has the continent's largest population at 145 million, followed by Germany at 83 million and the United Kingdom at almost 68 million. By contrast, Europe is also home to various micro-states such as San Marino, which has a population of just 30 thousand.

Real Estate Advisory Service Market Outlook

The global real estate advisory service market size was valued at USD 32.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 58.7 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period. Several factors contribute to this growth, including increasing urbanization, rising real estate investments, and the growing complexity of real estate transactions. As the real estate market continues to expand and evolve, the demand for expert advisory services is becoming indispensable for both individual and corporate investors looking to navigate the myriad of opportunities and risks involved.

One of the key growth factors driving the real estate advisory service market is the increasing globalization of real estate investments. Investors from various regions are looking to diversify their portfolios by purchasing properties across borders, necessitating detailed advisory services to understand local markets, regulatory environments, and investment climates. The complexity of international real estate transactions requires specialized knowledge, which is driving demand for firms that can provide comprehensive advisory services. Additionally, the integration of technology in property management and investment analysis offers new avenues for growth and efficiency, further amplifying the market's expansion.

Another significant factor contributing to market growth is the rising trend of urbanization. Rapid urbanization in developing countries, particularly in Asia Pacific and Africa, is leading to increased real estate development and investment. Urban areas are expanding, and with them, the need for strategic consulting, valuation, and transaction advisory services. The complexities associated with urban real estate, including zoning laws, environmental impact assessments, and infrastructure development, necessitate expert advisory services to ensure successful transactions and investments. This trend is particularly evident in megacities where real estate development is at its peak, providing ample opportunities for the advisory services market.

Furthermore, the growing adoption of sustainable and green building practices is another driver of market growth. With increasing awareness about climate change and environmental sustainability, real estate developers and investors are seeking advice on how to incorporate sustainable practices into their projects. Advisory services specializing in green building standards, energy efficiency, and sustainable development practices are seeing increased demand. This shift towards sustainability is not only a regulatory requirement in many regions but also a preference among investors and occupants, making it essential for advisory firms to offer expertise in this area.

From a regional perspective, North America and Europe are currently the largest markets for real estate advisory services, driven by a mature real estate sector and significant investment activities. However, the Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period. The rapid economic development, urbanization, and growing middle-class population in countries like China and India are fueling real estate investments and, consequently, the demand for advisory services. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa are also expected to see substantial growth, albeit at a slower pace, due to increasing investments in infrastructure and real estate development.

Service Type Analysis

The real estate advisory service market is segmented by service type into investment advisory, transaction advisory, valuation and appraisal, strategic consulting, and others. Investment advisory services are one of the key segments, providing clients with expert advice on where and how to invest in real estate. These services include market analysis, investment strategy formulation, risk assessment, and portfolio management. As real estate investments become more diversified and complex, the need for specialized investment advisory services is increasing. This segment is particularly vital for institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals looking to maximize returns while mitigating risks.

Transaction advisory services form another crucial segment of the market. These services encompass the entire spectrum of real estate transactions, including buying, selling, leasing, and financing properties. Transaction advisory involves due diligence, financ

Kairo (Ägypten) ist im Jahr 2023 mit geschätzt rund 22,18 Millionen Einwohner:innen die größte Stadt Afrikas. Es folgen Kinshasa (DR Kongo) mit geschätzt rund 16,3 Millionen Einwohner:innen und Lagos (Nigeria) mit geschätzt rund 15,95 Millionen Einwohner:innen. Diese Statistik zeigt die 20 größten Städte in Afrika im Jahr 2022.

Städte, Metropolen, Megacities Immer mehr Menschen leben in städtischen Ballungszentren – ein Trend, der sich auch zukünftig fortsetzen wird. Ab welcher Einwohnerzahl eine Ortschaft als Stadt zu zählen hat und wie ihre Grenzen zu ziehen sind, ist allerdings international nicht einheitlich definiert.

Agglomeration 

Mit Agglomeration (Ballungsraum) ist zumeist ein zusammenhängendes urbanes Gebiet gemeint, wie z.B. das Ruhrgebiet, das aus mehreren Städten und Vororten bestehen kann. Metropolen Metropolen sind Städte, die für die Region grundsätzlich eine herausragende Stellung besitzen (z.B. in wirtschaftlicher oder kultureller Hinsicht).
Megacities Als Megacities werden Städte mit mindestens 10 Millionen Einwohnern bezeichnet.

Aufgrund der Vielzahl unterschiedlicher Definitionen, Abgrenzungen und Überschneidungen, sind Städte hinsichtlich der Einwohnerzahl international nur begrenzt vergleichbar.

As per the Global Liveability Index of 2024, five Indian cities figured on the list comprising 173 across the world. Indian megacities Delhi and Mumbai tied for 141st place with a score of **** out of 100. They were followed by Chennai (****), Ahmedabad (****), and Bengaluru (****). What are indicators for livability The list was topped by Vienna for yet another year. The index measures cities on five broad indicators such as stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. As per the Economic Intelligence Unit’s suggestions, if a city’s livability score is between ** to ** then “livability is substantially constrained”. Less than ** means most aspects of living are severely restricted. Least Liveable cities on the index The least liveable cities were in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and North Africa regions. Damascus and Tripoli ranked the lowest. Tel Aviv also witnessed significant drop due to war with Hamas.