McKinsey Global Institute

Urbanization

Urban cities

Urban world: Mapping the economic power of cities

March 2011—Six hundred cities—the City 600—are projected to generate more than 60 percent of global growth to 2025. Within this group, companies need to adjust their strategy to include the 577 fast-growing "middleweight cities."more

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More on Urbanization
Mayors of Atlanta and Houston and the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, City of New York
debate

Are cities the new global building blocks?

May 2012—Mayors of Atlanta and Houston and the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, City of New York discuss how US cities are dealing with increased urbanization, crumbling infrastructure, and crime, how they are positioning themselves to compete globally, and what are the best practices and worst realities of being mayor.more

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India's urban awakening
report

India's urban awakening: Building inclusive cities, sustaining economic growth

April 2010—If India pursues a new operating model for its cities, it could add as much as 1 to 1.5 percent to annual GDP growth, bringing the economy near to the double-digit growth to which the government aspires.more

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Preparing for china's urban billion
report

Preparing for China's urban billion

February 2009—By pursuing a more concentrated urbanization path guided by action to boost urban productivity, China's local and national policy leaders would minimize the pressures and maximize the economic benefits of urban expansion.more

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Challenges of China's growing cities
article|McKinsey Quarterly

Meeting the challenges of China’s growing cities

July 2008—China’s cities are booming. Intelligent policies could make the good effects prevail over the bad ones. China's dramatic economic growth is intensifying the challenges of urban policy.more

Urban chinese consumer
report

From 'made in China' to 'sold in China': The rise of the Chinese urban consumer

November 2006—Over the next two decades China is expected to transition from an investment-led to more of a consumption-led economy. MGI research finds that as this rebalancing occurs, a massive middle class will emerge.more

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Related
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Global cities
Global cities of the future: An interactive map

McKinsey Quarterly—Explore the cities and emerging urban clusters that will drive dramatic growth and demographic changes over the next generation.more

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The world's new growth frontier
The world’s new growth frontier: Midsize cities in emerging markets

McKinsey Quarterly—Over the next 15 years, 400 cities that most executives have never heard of will power global growth. This narrated slideshow explores them.more

70 percent

of GDP growth in Latin America that will come from 280 large citiesmore