EDITORIAL. URBAN ISSUES IN ASIA

In the last decade we have assisted at a spectacular transformation of the human settlements, as more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas. This transformation acquired significant magnitude in Asia. In 1950, Asia had only one city with a population of more than 10 millions people; by 2015, it is projected to have 23 cities (Asian Development Bank. 2008). In a region where a population of one million constitutes a small settlement, urbanization creates many challenges, especially about how·to feed, shelter, and generate employment in a sustainable way. Urbanization in Asia involves around 44 million people being added to the population of cities every year, equivalent to 120,000 people each day. The huge increase in urban populations require the construction of more than 20,000 new dwellings, 250 kilometers of new roads, and additional infrastructure to supply more than six megaliters of potable water (Asian Development Bank. 2008).