From Neom to Kinshasa: 10 megacities of the future


James Langton
  • English
  • Arabic

Bigger is not necessarily better and that is certainly the case with cities.

The UN has predicted that the global population will increase by about three billion to reach 11.2 billion by the end of the century, and all those new people will have to live somewhere.

Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, most population movement has been from the countryside to urban areas, a trend that has accelerated in recent decades and is likely to continue with migration resulting from climate change. By the end of the century, more than three quarters of the world could live in cities.

Even by 2050 what we think are the major cities of the world are likely to be very different from today.

The inexorable rise of the megacity, with populations often exceeding 40 million, will outstrip the likes of London, Paris and New York City.

Asia and Africa will become the new global population centres. Conditions in megacities will often be challenging, with massive slums, unemployment and poor infrastructure.

Other new cities are rising, packed with the latest technologies. These places will be sustainable, eco-friendly and designed to put people first.

Many of these ideas will feature at Expo 2020 Dubai in its "Cities of the Future" visitor journey.

The contrast between rich and poor may define life in 2100, and it is likely to grow. Here The National looks at both ends of the spectrum, and what city life might be like in the coming decades, based on population estimates from the Global Cities Institute.

Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria. The city's population is predicted to hit 88.3 million by the end of the century.
Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria. The city's population is predicted to hit 88.3 million by the end of the century.

Kinshasa

The largest city in Africa by population is predicted to become home to a staggering 58.42 million people by 2075.

Currently home to about 15 million people, problems such as crumbling infrastructure, crime in the slums and children living on the streets could become more acute as the city grows.

Lagos

Kinshasa is expected to be eclipsed by Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital, by the end of the century. The city's population is predicted to reach 88.3 million by 2100.

Authorities in the city cannot be certain how many people live there now, with one estimate of 21 million in the greater metropolitan area. It is one of the richest cities in Africa and has one of the tallest skylines on the continent, but Lagos will nevertheless be tested by such massive growth.

Dar es Salaam

Another African city, the population in the business capital of Tanzania is predicted to grow from about seven million today to more than 73 million by 2100. The top three megacities in the world could all be in Africa by the end of the century.

Chicago

The city in the American Midwest is the only emerging megacity in the developing world, according to a World Economic Forum report published in 2018. Chicago will be one of six new megacities by 2030, the report said.

With a population of about four million, it will be a minnow compared with the others – Dar es Salaam, Angolan capital Luanda, Iraqi capital Baghdad, Chennai in India and Colombian capital Bogota – except in one crucial respect.

Chicago's total gross domestic product is expected to be more than double that of he other five new megacities put together.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveils The Line, a 170-kilometre belt of connected future communities around the new city of Neom.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveils The Line, a 170-kilometre belt of connected future communities around the new city of Neom.

Neom

At the opposite end of the spectrum will be the Saudi smart city of Neom. It will be built on the Red Sea coast and the 25,000-square-kilometre site will extend to Egypt and Jordan. The project is estimated to cost £500 billion and Saudi Arabia hopes to complete the first section by 2025.

The project will include The Line, a city within a city. It will be home to one million people and will not have any cars or streets and will be free from carbon emissions.

Songdo

Described as the world’s smartest city, Songdo is being built on reclaimed land about 35 kilometres south-west of the South Korean capital Seoul.

Songdo has been designed to be carbon-free, with more than 40 per cent of the city being green space. It has a seawater canal and an area inspired by Central Park in New York City. Parts of the music video for 2012 hit Gangnam Style by Psy were filmed there.

Sensors constantly monitor traffic flow and the city's rubbish is collected in underground tunnels. Songdo’s population is currently about 100,000 but is expected to triple eventually.

Nagara Rimba Nusa

Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, was largely built on a swamp, with parts reported to be sinking by 25 centimetres a year. With sea levels predicted to rise owing to climate change, Indonesian authorities have decided to move its capital to a new location on the island of Borneo.

This city of the future is projected to cost about $33 billion and should be completed by 2045. Despite about 40 per cent of Jakarta being below sea level, it will not be abandoned and is expected to increased its population from about 10 million to nearly 16 million by 2050.

Horgas

China specialises in building cities from scratch. Shenzhen was farmland on the border with Hong Kong in 1970s, but it is now a city with a population of more than 17 million. A building project in Xiongan is designed to reduce the pressure on Beijing and the new city will eventually be three times the size of New York.

Horgas, on the border with Kazakhstan, has been described as the first new city of the New Silk Road and is said to be the world’s largest dry port, meaning inland.

First settled more than 1,000 years ago, construction of the new city, which is also a major centre of robotics, began in 2017, with the population expected to increase to 200,000.

New Administrative Capital, Cairo

This summer the first civil servants are set to move to Egypt’s new capital, 45 kilometres east of overcrowded Cairo, the seat of government since the Fatimid conquest more than 1,000 years ago.

The first phase alone is to cost $25bn and will feature electric trams, a monorail and a theme park four times the size of Disneyland. If it is completed to plan, its population could reach about seven million, making it the world’s largest planned new capital.

Tokyo

Even for a megacity there are limits to growth. In 2021, the world’s largest city is in Japan, with the population of the greater metropolitan population recorded as more than 37 million. But Japan has an ageing population and the fertility rate is dropping, in contrast with Africa.

By the end of the century, Tokyo will have a population of about 25 million, knocking it down to 28th on the megacity league table.

Abu Dhabi traffic facts

Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road

The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.

Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.

The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.

The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.

Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019

 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here
ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

MATCH INFO

UAE Division 1

Abu Dhabi Harlequins 12-24 Abu Dhabi Saracens

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures

October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA

JERSEY INFO

Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
Black Jersey
Intermediate Sprint Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the rider who has gained the most Intermediate Sprint Points.

Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

Quick%20facts
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Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting

-      Don’t do it more than once in three days

-      Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days

-      Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode

-      Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well

-      Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days

-      Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates

-      Manage your sleep

-      People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting

-      Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed

Based: Muscat

Launch year: 2018

Number of employees: 40

Sector: Online food delivery

Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception 

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
In numbers

- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100

- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100

- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India

- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100

- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
%3Cp%3EMATA%0D%3Cbr%3EArtist%3A%20M.I.A%0D%3Cbr%3ELabel%3A%20Island%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Pots for the Asian Qualifiers

Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka

Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas

Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa

Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong

Rating: 3/5

'Dark Waters'

Directed by: Todd Haynes

Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, William Jackson Harper 

Rating: ****

KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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if you go

The flights 

Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning. 

The trains

Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.

The hotels

Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.

The specs

Engine 60kwh FWD

Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry

Power 204hp Torque 360Nm

Price, base / as tested Dh174,500 

Your rights as an employee

The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.

The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.

If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.

Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.

The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.

MATCH INFO

Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')

Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')

Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

HOW TO WATCH

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Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo 

 Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua

 Based: Dubai, UAE

 Number of employees: 28

 Sector: Financial services

 Investment: $9.5m

 Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. 

 
Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

Why seagrass matters
  • Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
  • Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
  • Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
  • Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Updated: August 16, 2021, 8:50 AM`