December 20, 2006 World's Densest Cities

Following was published by Forbes.com.
The world's most congested cities reflect dense concentrations of population along with the proliferation of vehicular traffic and insufficient roads to handle them. While the bulk of these cities are located in Asia, the list also includes one African and two Latin American locales.

Manila, Philippines
Population: 1,581,000
Density: 41,014 persons per square kilometer.
The capital of the Philippines, Manila boasts the highest population density in the world, with its sixth district the densest. It is poised between Manila Bay and Laguna Bay and has been a major port for centuries. The metropolitan area consists of some 10 million people. The roads are filled with buses, pedicabs (bicycles with sidecars) and cars. The traffic is consistently described as horrendous. Fixing this situation has to be put into the context of serious water problem and other infrastructure calamities.

Cairo, Egypt
Population: 15.2 million (official) / 25 million (unofficial)
Density: 36,618 persons per square kilometer.
Egypt's capital also happens to be the cultural capital of the Arab world and the largest city in Africa. Its traffic is overwhelming. It has to be seen to be believed. Compounding the ever more horrendous noise is the variety of vehicles: autos, buses, bikes, vans and trucks on narrow streets with the use of the sidewalk almost a must. The traffic rarely stays in lanes, instead weaving its own tapestry. It is an elemental force.

Lagos, Nigeria
Population: 10 million to 15 million
Density: 20,000-plus per square kilometer.
Once the capital of Nigeria, it no longer carries that title. Still, as the commercial center, it is in a growth pattern that is likely to make it a city of 20 million by 2010. Transportation is at best risky and very congested partly because of its location in a series of lagoons and partly due to its rate of growth. Its buses and motorcycles are unsafe for nonresidents and hardly safe for natives of Lagos as there are innumerable and apparently unstoppable crashes. As the nation???s leading port it has had some success in exporting timber and now oil (when the wells are not disrupted by political violence).

Macau
Population: 508,500
Density: 16,521 persons per square kilometer.
Part of the Special Administration Region of the People's Republic of China, its narrow streets complicate traffic. So it's not surprising that the most popular commuting vehicle is the scooter--the Vespa or a look alike. There are still slower means like the jinriksha and the trishaw, but as a means of locomotion they are giving way to scooters and motorcycles. The use of efficient buses has made traffic somewhat more tolerable.

Seoul, South Korea
Population: 10,297,000 (20 million-plus metro area)
Density: 16,391 persons per square kilometer.
South Korea's capital has great transportation facilities, but it also has 3 million vehicles plying its streets. The huge subway system moves 8 million a day. But rush hour in the evening is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Seoul is also South Korea's business center with company headquarters for Samsung, LG Group and Hyundai. It uses on its streets a full range of vehicle fleets: buses and taxis. Driving can be arduous, and citizens have to learn to be Seoul survivors.

Dhaka, Bangladesh
Population: 6,724,976 (11 million-plus metro area)
Density: 14,688 persons per square kilometer.
The capital of Bangladesh is gripped by severe pollution problems and a staggering amount of congestion. The city supports 400,000 rickshaws in use daily, and that is the most of any city in the world. Bicycles are also numerous, and the young people are now moving toward scooters, taxis and private cars. The 1,868 kilometers of roads leave much to be desired, but plans are in place for improvement.

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Population: 2,776,138 (12 million-plus metro area)
Density: 13,680 persons per square kilometer.
Argentina's capital is also the nation's finance, industrial and commercial center. Its roadways were once clear but are no longer--despite the Nueve de Julio Avenue, which is the widest boulevard in the world. Buenos Aires is often fully gridlocked, particularly at rush hours. It has a subway system that is extensive, but even this can't absorb the increased flow of traffic. As the major port city of the nation it has the additional traffic of trucks to and from the port.

Jakarta, Indonesia
Population: 8,792,000
Density: 11,360 persons per square kilometer.
The capital of Indonesia is also the country's commercial and financial center. It has heavy congestion combined with inadequate roads and public transportation--particularly in the central business district. It once had 160,000 rickshaws (called becaks), but they have been almost eliminated. There are now more aggressive motorcycles in great numbers that are increasing exponentially. An outer ring road is in the process of being built. The citizens of Jakarta are famous for breaking all the rules of the road, and that adds to the congestion.

Kaohsiung/Taipei, Taiwan
Population: of 1,510,577
Density: 9,835 persons per square kilometer.
The two cities of Taiwan are both nearly the same in density. Taipei might have worse traffic, but Kaohsiung has worse pollution. Kaohsiung is a major container ship port and also has manufacturing, refining and transportation industries; while Taipei is the capital of Taiwan and the center of mass media, politics and general commerce.

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Population: 2,530,000
Density: 9,516 persons per square kilometer.
The capital of the Dominican Republic is also the largest city in the Caribbean and the oldest city in the Americas. Driving is always chancy, as the rules of the road are to a degree up for grabs. Traffic can be quite dense, and there is a layer of smog over the city. There are regular traffic jams and taking the bus is an alternative, but they have odd, if any, schedules and not too many stops. There is a metro under construction, but it is best not to wait to get on.