Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ

Building more livable cities is an essential step toward achieving the World Bank mission of ending poverty and boosting shared prosperity on a livable planet.

Today, more than half of the world¡¯s population ¨C 4.4 billion people ¨C lives in cities. This shift is set to continue, with the urban population expected to more than double by 2050, at which point nearly 7 in 10 people will live in cities.  

Cities are engines of economic growth and development. They are the centers where most GDP is generated and most private sector jobs are created. As cities grow, they help entire regions and even countries to become more prosperous and productive. However, the rapid pace and scale of urbanization is also bringing significant challenges.

Cities must meet the growing global demand for more and better jobs, efficient infrastructure and services, and affordable housing, especially for the nearly 1 billion urban poor living in informal settlements. The pressure on cities is being further heightened by rising rates of global conflict, with over 50% of forcibly displaced people living in urban areas.  

Once a city is built, its physical form and land use patterns can be set for generations, often leading to unsustainable urban sprawl that limits connectivity and access to jobs. This also strains land and natural resources, with cities consuming two-thirds of global energy and producing more than 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions.??

As cities grow, their vulnerability to natural disasters increases, threatening lives and assets. Since 1985, over 75,000 km² of new urban land, equivalent to about 50 times the area of Greater London, has been developed in areas prone to severe flooding. Globally, 1.81 billion people ¨C one in four ¨C live in high-risk flood zones, with the majority living in rapidly urbanizing river plains and coastlines in developing countries.

Creating more livable cities demands strategic policy coordination and smart investment decisions. National and local governments must act decisively to shape their urban futures and create opportunities for all. By investing in urban infrastructure and services, cities can become powerful engines of development, lifting millions out of poverty and securing long-term economic success for generations to come.

As the world's largest multilateral financier of urban development, the World Bank works with national and local governments to build more livable, sustainable, and resilient cities and communities, aligning with our mission to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet.

Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ invests an average of $5 billion annually in urban development, resilience, and land, contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. As of 2025, our active portfolio includes 192 projects amounting to $34.8 billion, using a combination of instruments including investment project financing, policy development loans, and Program-for-Results funding.

Our urban development strategy has four areas of focus:

1. Resilient, low-carbon infrastructure and services: Rapid urbanization requires massive investment in green infrastructure and services, with needs estimated at up to $2.7 trillion annually in low- and middle-income countries alone. We are addressing these challenges through projects focused on solid waste management, sustainable mobility, transit-oriented development, flood protection, nature-based solutions, public spaces, neighborhood upgrading, and more.
2. Safe, adequate housing and buildings: High levels of informality and a lack of affordable housing are key global issues, with approximately one quarter of the world¡¯s urban population, or 1.1 billion people, living in slums. We are tackling these issues through projects focused on housing finance, national affordable housing programs, resilient housing, housing reconstruction, public buildings retrofits, and land administration and governance.
3. Vibrant local economies: Cities are engines of economic growth, accounting for 80% of global GDP and 88% of private sector job creation. However, congestion, pollution, and sprawl prevent many cities from reaping the full benefits of agglomeration, limiting their potential for job creation. We are working to promote more vibrant local economies through projects financing urban revitalization, tourism, cultural heritage, economic zones, private sector development, and skills development.
4. Strong local governments: Local governments often have limited capacity to plan for and finance the investments needed for sustainable urban development. We are strengthening local governance through projects focused on institutional strengthening, own-source revenue enhancement, intergovernmental fiscal transfers, subnational borrowing, land-based finance, and national reforms to improve the enabling framework.

To support these priorities, the World Bank leverages several trust funds and global programs:

• Sustainable Urban & Regional Development (SURGE): SURGE is a World Bank global umbrella trust fund that supports developing countries to foster green, resilient, and inclusive urban and regional development.
• : GPRBA is a World Bank global umbrella trust fund which uses innovative results-based financing to promote sustainable urban development by linking funding to achieved results.
• : GFDRR is a global partnership administered by the World Bank that helps communities and countries better understand and reduce their vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change.
• City Climate Finance Gap Fund: The City Climate Finance Gap Fund, operationalized by the World Bank and the European Investment Bank, helps cities in developing and emerging countries to turn low-carbon, climate-resilient ideas into strategies and finance-ready projects.
• Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC): TDLC is a partnership between the World Bank and the Government of Japan that maximizes the impact of urban development projects by leveraging Japanese and global knowledge, insights, and technical expertise.
• : Led by the World Bank and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), GPSC is a partnership and knowledge platform that promotes integrated solutions and cutting-edge support for cities seeking to improve their urban sustainability.
• Global Smart City Partnership Program (GSCP): GSCP provides technical and operational support to develop smart city practices and solutions, serving as a platform for knowledge sharing and partnership building between governments and global practitioners and experts.

• Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ¡¯s in Kenya established and strengthened urban institutions in 77 local municipalities, benefiting over 3.6 million people. This nationwide program-for-results financed 370 infrastructure investments, constructing 230 km of roads, 225 km of walkways and cycle paths, 12 bus parks, and over 5,000 streetlights, improving safety, accessibility, and connectivity. The program also built and upgraded 25 markets, benefiting over 10,000 traders and helping to boost local economic development. Additionally, the program enhanced the municipalities¡¯ financial, planning, and procurement capacities, contributing to sustainable urban development and more effective service delivery.
  
  
• In Tanzania, the World Bank helped to improve urban infrastructure and services through the , benefiting 4.1 million people. The project constructed or rehabilitated over 200 km of roads, 75 km of major drains, and installed more than 5,000 solar streetlights, enhancing safety, reducing flooding, and improving living conditions in low-income neighborhoods. It also developed ten markets, six parks, four bus stands, six public toilets, and various other community facilities, contributing to a better urban environment and economic opportunities.
  
  
• The improved access to basic services and economic opportunities in Niger, benefiting over 1 million people. Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ-financed project completed 99 infrastructure projects and constructed 66 km of roads, reducing travel time between Taza and Tillia in western Niger from 8 to 3.5 hours. It also constructed 23 markets, which helped to revitalize the surrounding area and boost own-source revenues for local governments. Additionally, the project incorporated risk management into 15 municipal investment plans, ensuring the needs of both refugees and host communities were addressed.
  
  
• Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ¡¯s in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam, significantly improved urban infrastructure and services. The project constructed a new bus station to help workers commute from Thai Nguyen to major industrial sites south of the city, as well as four bridges, a 14 km road, two pre-primary schools and a 5 km drainage system. Furthermore, the project enhanced urban planning and management, contributing to the city's economic growth and improving access to essential services for over 195,000 residents.
  
  
• In Indonesia, the World Bank helped to improve living conditions for 8.7 million people through the . This project provided access to improved sanitation for nearly 1 million people, solid waste collection for more than 2.5 million people, improved drainage for 3.8 million people, and all-season roads for more than 5 million people. It also alleviated slum areas across over 11,000 hectares, exceeding the target of 7,800 hectares, and achieved a 100% complaint resolution rate.
  
  
• The in India achieved significant urban service delivery improvements, benefiting 2.8 million people across 30 urban areas. Key accomplishments include the construction of a first-of-its-kind wastewater treatment plant, 500 km of new stormwater drainage systems, over 1,000 km of water supply pipelines, 335 km of roads, and over 17,000 streetlights. Additionally, the project developed green belts around infrastructure sites and restored over 500 acres of water, including the polluted Periya lake in Chennai.
  
  
• Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ¡¯s in Pakistan benefited almost 1.5 million people by upgrading over 100 hectares of public space, rehabilitating 35 km of roads, constructing 39 km of sewer lines and stormwater drainage, and building six new bus stops. The project also helped improve municipal service delivery, implementing a business registration portal that reduced the time required to register a firm from 18 days in 2017 to two in 2023, as well as a new construction permit procedure that reduced the time required to obtain a building permit from 60 days in 2015 to 5-10 in 2019.
  
  
• In North Macedonia, the World Bank helped to enhance municipal services across the country through the . The project improved transparency, financial sustainability, and inclusive delivery of services in participating municipalities, benefiting over 425,000 residents. Key achievements include the rehabilitation of 32 km of roads, procurement of 34 waste management vehicles, and energy-efficient renovations of 1,900 m² of public buildings. Through the project, 37 municipalities completed 95 grant-financed subprojects, generating over 2,700 jobs.
  
  
• Through the in Mexico, the World Bank increased access to affordable housing for low-income residents, with over 28,000 beneficiaries receiving support to buy or build housing units. The project effectively targeted low-income beneficiaries, with 70% of the support going to households with incomes below 2.7 times the minimum wage. All housing interventions complied with energy efficiency and emission standards, contributing to a less carbon-intensive housing sector.