African countries are showing the highest rates of urbanization in the world as the continent's urban population is increasing by 24 million people annually, Vsevolod Sviridov, an expert at Russia's Higher School of Economics Center for African Studies, told Sputnik.
"African countries are now demonstrating the highest rates of urbanization in the world – 4.5% a year," he said, citing data by the international consulting company McKinsey & Co.
He also said that the cities on the continent are rapidly turning into economic centers with a relatively small area, but significant purchasing power.
"By 2050, the population of African cities will grow by 950 million people, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)," Sviridov concluded.