A January 2008 report by the United Nations Population Division takes a look at the distribution of humanity on the Earth’s surface.

In 2008, half of the world population is expected to live, for the first time in
history, in urban areas.

The urban population is highly concentrated in a few countries. In
2007, three-quarters of the 3.3 billion urban dwellers on earth lived in 25
countries whose urban populations ranged from 29 million in South Africa to
561 million in China. China, India and the United States of America accounted
for 35 per cent of the world’s urban population.

Over the coming decades, the level of urbanization is expected to increase in all major areas, with Africa and Asia urbanizing more rapidly than other major areas.

What it means for cities, and living in them.

As for why population is projected to increase in urban areas, there are lots of reasons, but mainly because that’s where all the stuff we need is. It’s where most of us work, send our kids to school, exchange ideas, and get medical care.

• It means a lot more multi-unit buildings for us to live and work in.
• Which means living/working space goes vertical (not just up, but down, too) and has no choice but to become efficient.
• Which in turn means reduction of living and storage space (quit accumulating junk!).
• And somehow balancing that with production of local food to reduce transportation costs.

It’s possible to be comfortable in less space. It’s possible to be sane in less space, if:

• spaces are efficient, and provide basic living comforts with neither extravagant nor bare bones style
• provide for soundproofing within and between living spaces (who wants to hear the neighbors?!)
• private places to retreat from busy city life
• ways to connect with nature (like community gardens and greenways) in an urban environment

All of the above relate to efficient design, and with regard to living space, the two rooms in the house that require it most are the kitchen and bathroom.