Are cities bad for you?

Abstract

Humans have been living in cities for more than 5,000 years, with the first cities founded following the birth of agriculture. In contrast to previous living conditions, cities are characterised as having a large population in a small area, a surplus of goods for trade, and specialisation that allows for expert craft. Although there is no standard international definition of ‘urban’, typically these environments include a high-population density with a significant amount of built infrastructure. The proportion of the world’s population living in urban environments has increased dramatically over the past 200 years, from just three per cent in 1800 to 55 per cent at present, with projections to increase to 68 per cent by 2050. For the first time in human history, most of the world’s people live in urban environments. Australia ranks among other nations as one of the most urbanised in the world, with more than two-thirds of our population now living in major cities.