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Expert group meeting on population distribution, urbanization, internal migration and development

New York

Date: 
21 January 2008 to 23 January 2008

Overview

The Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs organized an expert group meeting on population distribution, urbanization, internal migration and development. The meeting was held at the United Nations in New York from 21 to 23 January 2008.

The world population is in the midst of a historical transition from being mostly rural to predominantly urban. The urbanization of the population has historically been accompanied by long-term economic development. Urbanization has been both an important determinant of the reduction in mortality and fertility rates as well as a prominent feature of the spatial distribution. While urbanization generally represents a positive and welcome development, the challenges facing urbanization in developed countries are of different kind and scale than those in the developing areas. 

At the meeting, experts in various aspects of urbanization presented and discussed recent research findings from different regions and countries of the world.

Documents

Organization of work

Monday, 21 January 2008

 

9:30–13:00

 

I. Opening session

  • Hania Zlotnik, Director, Population Division, United Nations. Opening statement

 

II. Urbanization: a global perspective

II. Urbanization: a global perspective (continued)

 

14:30–18:00

 

III. Urban growth and internal migration: policy dimensions

 

 III. Urban growth and internal migration: policy dimensions (continued)

 

Tuesday, 22 January 2008

 

9:30–13:00

 

IV. Rural and urban development: linkages and disparities

 

IV. Rural and urban development: linkages and disparities (continued)

 

14:30–18:00

 

V. Urban infrastructure, health and poverty

 

 VI. Urban planning and economic growth

 

Wednesday, 23 January 2008

9:30–13:00

 

VII. Spatial distribution of the population and climate change

 

11:30–12:00

VIII. Summary and conclusions

  • Chair: Hania Zlotnik, Population Division, United Nations

  • Rapporteur: Richard Bilsborrow, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA 

 

12:00–12:15 Closing

Contributed papers