6 Of The Most Extreme Cities On Earth
We're a company that truly appreciates nature. It's why we plant 10 trees for each item purchased in our store! While nature is our favorite, we marvel at the cities humans have been able to build, for better or for worse.
In the early 1800's, most people lived in rural areas. But, in 50 short years, that changed. By 1850, people were moving to cities in droves. Some reasons included: finding year-round work as jobs in rural areas were becoming more difficult to find; people believed jobs paid better in cities; education was more attainable in cities; and housing was believed to be better.
However, a study in 2008 revealed that there are now as many people living in rural and suburban areas as there are in cities. Crime, overcrowding, traffic, and the high cost of living were the main factors that drove people out of cities and into the 'burbs. Parents also believed they could find better schools for their children in suburban areas.
But, despite this, there are still cities around the world that are considered extreme due to a number of factors. Below are 6.
Most populated - Tokyo, Japan
This may be up for dispute, but in 2016, the population of Tokyo was reported to be a staggering 37,830,000! The entire population of Japan is estimated to be around 127,000,000, which means that Tokyo holds more than one quarter of the population! By comparison, Delhi, India has around 18,000,000 while Jakarta, Indonesia has a population of approximately 10,000,000.
Despite its enormous population, Tokyo is not the most crowded city in the world. That title belongs to:
Most crowded - Dakha, Bangladesh
Dakha, Bangladesh covers an area that is about 125 square miles, but its population is a whopping 16,235,000! That's 110,000 people in one square mile! It has also been named one of the least livable cities in the world due to the fact that the majority of the population live in slums. As it's also one of the fastest growing cities in the world, the living conditions will, unfortunately, not improve in the foreseeable future.
Most expensive city to live in - The Republic of Singapore
With people paying thousands of dollars in rent to live in a closet in New York City, you would think it would be the most expensive city to live in. But, you would be wrong. As of 2016, Singapore holds that title. With the economy not being the most stable in the world, the cost of living has risen and fallen several times since then, so it may not still be true today.
But, just for fun, let's go ahead and compare the cost of living in Singapore to that of New York City in 2016. Public transportation: Singapore is 3 times more expensive. Food - 11% higher. Clothing: 50% more expensive.
Most impoverished - Monrovia, Liberia
It's been 14 years since Liberia's civil war ended, but Monrovia's economy continues to struggle to recover. This capital city has a population of around 1 million people, but the people here still live without the amenities that most people take for granted.
For instance, about one third of the population doesn't have a working toilet and the sewage system is failing. Electricity isn't reliable and people are forbidden to use it at all between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., and public transportation is limited to private taxis.
Oldest City - Aleppo, Syria
Again, this is up for dispute, but it is believed that the oldest, continually occupied city in the world is Aleppo. The city was built circa 6,000 BC mainly due to the geography of the region. The hilly countryside made it easy to defend against enemy attack. The location of the city also afforded easy access to the Queiq River, making Aleppo a large, bustling trade center for centuries.
Although Aleppo is currently going through a huge amount of turmoil, it has risen and fallen so many times in the past, it's sure to rise again in the future.
Happiest City - Seoul, South Korea
I wanted to end this list on a positive note! According to data gathered by the firm Arcadis, the capital city of Seoul is considered the happiest despite constant threat from neighboring North Korea. The firm took these factors into consideration when coming to their conclusion: crime rate, health, employment, and education.
But, this happiness also comes at a cost for the citizens. The country is very densely populated and the cost of living is extremely high. Housing is scarce, which means that a down payment on a one bedroom apartment is in the tens of thousands of dollars. Yes, for a rental! Wages are also low when compared to the cost of living. And yet, they're still the happiest city on Earth!
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