What is a megacity, and what are two challenges they face in developing countries?

• A. A city with over 1 million people; challenges include traffic congestion and housing shortages.
• B. A city with over 50 million people; challenges include only cultural barriers.
• C. A city with over 10 million people; challenges include traffic congestion and housing shortages.
• D. A rural town with a few thousand people.

Answer: (C)

A megacity is a city with at least 10 million residents in its urban area. In developing countries, rapid urban growth strains infrastructure and housing systems, so traffic congestion arises as roads and public transit struggle to move large populations, and housing shortages occur because demand for shelter outpaces supply, often pushing people into crowded informal settlements. The other options don’t fit: a city with over 1 million is not large enough to be a megacity, a city with over 50 million isn’t the standard threshold and cultural barriers aren’t the defining challenge, and a rural town isn’t a megacity.