The Puzzle of High Urbanization in Latin America

In past centuries, countries with the highest share of people living in urban areas were those most developed economically. That has changed in the last decades as Latin America has become the most urbanized continent. With proportionately the largest urban population, yet not the highest incomes per capita, Latin America presents an interesting puzzle of the growth and expansion of cities in the absence of substantial economic growth and industrialization. In this talk, Ida will present what we know and don’t know about patterns of urbanization across Latin America and their implications for the society in terms of migration, inequality and related social issues.

Ida is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Economics at UBC, building on her undergraduate major in International Economics. She already has an MA in Urban Geography, and is interested in urbanization issues in developing countries and the intersection of urban growth and economic development. She was recently able to share her interests with a broader audience as a TEDxUBC speaker talking about the residents of urban slums in China and other countries in the Global South. When not working on endless assignments or grading papers, Ida dedicates time to learning foreign languages and being active outdoors, running, cycling, hiking and skiing.