On the evolution of cities

[dewline]

Whether or not this is a good trend, I'm not entirely sure yet. But rfmcdpei noticed a couple of links and maps and such that caught my attention.

Those of you of a geographical mindset, and an eye on fictional works, might want a look-see at this stuff, too.

Comments

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

Minor note: Brits refer to a North American "megalopolis" as a "conurbation".

I wonder what the reaction would be to having "Conurbations of North America" as a title. :-)

I liked the prediction of a history book in Mandarin Chinese titled "The Folly & Inevitable Decline of the Foreign Barbarians". About the only improvement to that would be to replace the last word with "devils". :-)

The existence of such a work presumes that the current hegemons of Mainland China are able to keep on track, which IMHO is not guaranteed. [I would seriously be happy to see them go the way of the Mongol "Yuan" dynasty, which lasted a mere 80 years. :-)]

[dewline.livejournal.com]

"Conurbations" might be too easily mistaken for other words in several North American English dialects, I suspect. So, "megapolii" it will have to remain for the time being.

Such tomes in Mandarin dialect as predict our downfall...well, they've been written from time to time for a good while now, or so the suspicion runs. Some of those hegemons seem to have twigged to the idea of adopting more wholesale political reforms to go with their economic changes, though, and I wish those particular hegemons well with that project. Its success might bode well for our shared future as a species.