London

London is one of the oldest cities in the world, and for many years it was also the largest city on earth. With a current population of under eight million London is now only the 21st largest city on earth – the largest city (as opposed to metropolitan area) is Shanghai with almost 18 million people.

However, because London is almost 2,000 years old, the housing stock of the city varies dramatically from place to place. The type of housing available has also been influenced by social planning, upward mobility and by the effects of war.

In the UK, governments have come up with strategies to manage the inner city and its transport systems.

——————————————————

Case study: Curitiba (Brazil)

With a population of around 1.75 million, Curitiba is one of Brazil’s largest cities. However it has also been named the best place to live in this South American country. Curitiba has become known as an environmentally friendly city, only allowing non-polluting industries and so-called Citizenship Streets where local people can enjoy essential services, sports and cultural facilities, all close to public transport.

Curitiba also has a project called lighthouses of knowledge – free educational centres containing libraries, internet access and other resources. As a result, Curitiba has the lowest illiteracy rates in Brazil. The transport network is well-integrated and has excellent disabled access. In 2007 Curitiba was named the third greenest city in the world.