Acknowledgements IV

List of abbreviations VIII

Key messages IX

Introduction 1

Chapter I. The urban transformation: a global shift in how we live 5

Chapter II. The world’s cities 23

Chapter III. Built-up area per capita and population density 35

Chapter IV. National definitions and Degree of Urbanization compared 43

Discussion and policy implications 59

References 65

Glossary 70

Annex 1: What’s new in WUP 2025? 73

Annex 2: The anatomy of “urban”: how national criteria shape urbanization statistics 76

Annex 3: National application of the Degree of Urbanization: tools, data, capacity and implementation status 79

Annex 4: Selected indicators 80