Resource information
Central America is undergoing an
important transition, with urban populations increasingat
accelerated speeds, bringing pressing challenges as well as
opportunities to boost sustained,inclusive and resilient
growth. Today, 59 percent of Central America's
population lives in urban areas, but it is expected that
within the next generation 7 out of 10 people will live in
cities, equivalent to adding 700,000 new urban residents
every year. At current rates of urbanization, the region’s
urban population will double in size by 2050, welcoming over
25 million new urban dwellers, calling for better
infrastructure, higher coverage and quality of urban
services and greater employment opportunities. As larger
numbers of people concentrate in urban areas, Central
American governments at the national and local levels face
both opportunities and challenges to ensure the prosperity
of their country's present and future generations.
