Figure 2.21: FIGURE 2.21 PHOTO ESSAY: Urbanization in North AmericaNorth America is very urbanized, with 79 percent of the population living in cities. Some of the wealthiest cities in the world are located here, though only a few have high levels of “livability.” Many cities, especially those in the United States, are characterized by sprawling development patterns that make people dependent on their automobiles.
[Sources consulted: 2011 World Population Data Sheet, Population Reference Bureau, at http://www.prb.org/pdf11/2011population- data- sheet_eng.pdf ; World Gazetteer, at http://world- gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=wg&srt=npan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&pt=a&va=&srt=pnan ]
