Table 1 List of Commonwealth countries projected to more than double their urban population by 2050 Country
Projected urban population (‘000) 2020
2050
Projected urban population growth 2020-2050 ‘000
as %
Uganda
11,775
46,664
34,889
396%
Malawi
3,535
13,360
9,825
378%
Tanzania
22,113
76,542
54,429
346%
Mozambique
11,978
37,473
25,494
313%
Zambia
8,336
25,577
17,240
307%
Kenya
14,975
44,185
29,210
295%
Papua New Guinea
1,168
3,326
2,157
285%
Rwanda
2,281
6,483
4,202
284%
Nigeria
107,113
287,130
180,018
268%
Gambia
1,435
3,523
2,088
245%
14,942
36,415
21,474
244%
160
385
226
241%
Sierra Leone
3,454
7,725
4,271
224%
Namibia
1,403
3,116
1,713
222%
Lesotho
674
1,485
811
220%
Vanuatu
75
163
88
217%
Cameroon Solomon Islands
Ghana
17,626
37,518
19,893
213%
Pakistan
77,438
160,228
82,790
207%
Eswatini
348
703
355
202%
Table 2 List of Commonwealth countries projected to add more than 1m urban residents per annum to 2050 Country
Projected urban population (‘000) 2020
2050
Projected urban population growth 2020-2050 ‘000
as %
India
483,099
876,613
393,514
181%
Nigeria
107,113
287,130
180,018
268%
Pakistan
77,438
160,228
82,790
207%
Tanzania
22,113
76,542
54,429
346%
Bangladesh
64,815
117,837
53,022
182%
Uganda
11,775
46,664
34,889
396%
Kenya
14,975
44,185
29,210
295%
Mozambique
11,978
37,473
25,494
313%
Cameroon
14,942
36,415
21,474
244%
Ghana
17,626
37,518
19,893
213%
South Africa
39,551
58,057
18,506
147%
8,336
25,577
17,240
307%
United Kingdom
56,495
68,008
11,512
120%
Malaysia
25,362
36,440
11,078
144%
Zambia
Similar challenges exist in the three Commonwealth countries which are projected to experience the largest increase in their urban populations by 2050, namely India, Nigeria and Pakistan. Table 3 provides an illustration of the shortfall in architects and planners when compared with OECD averages.
Survey of the Built Environment Professions in the Commonwealth
17