History glossary
Urbanisation
the growth of towns and cities as more people live and work in urban areas.
- Category
- Social process
What it means
Urbanisation can happen through trade, farming surplus, industrial jobs, migration, empire, or state planning. It reshaped ancient Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley, and later transformed industrial Britain, Europe, and the modern world.
Related terms
Stories using this term
The Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution began in Britain and spread globally, transforming economies, societies and everyday life through machines, factories and new energy sources.
The Indus Valley
From farming villages to great planned cities, the Indus Valley civilisation rose across South Asia and left an enduring legacy despite its many mysteries.
The Rise of China
After Mao, China combined market reform with one-party rule, using exports, cities, technology, and nationalism to become one of the world's most powerful states.
