Final answer:
China's urbanization is rapidly accelerating with a large rural-to-urban population shift, reflecting global trends of urbanization as a common feature of economic development. While more than half of China's population is still rural, there is a significant migration towards urban areas, particularly industrial cities in China Proper. Managing urban growth sustainably is a major global challenge.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rapid urbanization in China is a result of the rural-to-urban migration as the country continues to develop economically. China's urban growth, from 17 percent in 1978 to 47 percent in 2010, has been one of the largest in human history, with current trends indicating that this growth will continue. More than half of China's population still lives in rural areas, but with the expansion of urban centers, there's a noticeable shift to urban living, particularly to industrial cities in China Proper.
China's substantial population—more than 1.33 billion people in 2010, with most residing in the fertile and agriculturally rich regions of China Proper—has historically been a driving force in its economic development. The past decades have seen significant shifts in population dynamics, including rigorous population control measures and a burgeoning industrial labor force stemming from the population shift.
Furthermore, the global trend indicates that increased urbanization correlates with economic development. In more developed regions such as North America, Latin America/the Caribbean, and Europe, a large majority of the population resides in urban areas, while regions like Africa are less urbanized. However, as economies grow, the challenges of managing large urban populations without compromising environmental sustainability become more complex. This relationship between economic growth and urbanization is evident in China and other developing nations.