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The urban population in countries with economies in transition will approach 420 million, or 78 percent of its projected total population of 541 million, by 2020. Today, urban areas account for 70 percent, or 382 million of the total population of 543 million. On average, municipalities capture about US$ 275 per capita in revenue per year.
There are sharp differences among the various countries with economies in transition, notably in criminality, corruption and levels of democracy. Some, particularly in central Europe, have clearly started to adjust to the market economy promoted by the West. But, although the laissez-faire model was assumed by many to be the solution, experience during the past decade indicates that this does not necessarily hold true for all.
It is now recognized that sustainable urban development in these countries will depend on the creation and maintenance of efficient land and property markets; the development of more and better housing finance options; a greater emphasis on municipal finance and institution building; strengthening of urban utility systems; a growing interest in the preservation of cultural assets and heritage; and the responsiveness to emergencies such as earthquakes and flooding. |