Bangkok is Thailand’s capital city and biggest urban centre, and one of the world’s megacities. It is part of the Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR),which is further composed of the Bangkok Metropolitan Area (BMA) and its five adjacent provinces, covering an area of 7,758 km2. The rapid urban expansion of Bangkok, matched with its population growth over the past few decades, has left many issues unresolved. With the city struggling in maintaining pace with urbanisation trends and match it with the provision of the necessary public infrastructure.

Johannesburg is the capital of Gauteng, which is the South African province with the biggest population comprising approximately the 24 percent of the overall population. As of 2016 Johannesburg had an estimated population of 4.4 million, and according to the census, the city has grown at an extremely high rate: an average of 4.1 percent between 1996 and 2001 and by 3.2 percent between 2001 and 2011. Although this urbanisation boom is projected to slow down, Johannesburg is expected to reach 7 million inhabitants by 2040.

Durban is located on the east coast of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province in South Africa and eThekwini Municipality is the local government responsible for management and service provision across the eThekwini Municipal Area. Durban is the third most populous city in South Africa and the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. Durban forms part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and has a population of about 3.9 million.

Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa, hosting the Parliament, with a population currently estimated at 4,430,367, and an average annual population growth of 2.4 per cent. Like many South African cities, Cape Town is characterised by low urban densities of 1,629 people per square kilometre, and a net density of 17 dwelling units per hectare.

New Clark City is a new planned city currently being developed on a former military base in the Philippines by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and various private sector companies. The city is expected to be the country’s first smart, resilient and green metropolis. It aims to address growing environmental problems caused by climate change, by being disaster resilient in a region that has been heavily impacted by natural disasters.

Cebu City is the regional, financial and administrative capital of the Central Visayas Region with a population of 900,000 and it is the second-biggest growth area in the Philippines after Manila. It is located within a larger metropolitan area that has experienced a rapid population growth in the last decades, increasing from 1.5 million in 1990 to 2.8 million in 2015. Development stretches along the coast due to a mountainous topography and high vulnerability risk that restricts viable land allocation for urban expansion.

Lagos is the largest urban agglomeration in Nigeria and one of the biggest and fastest growing megacities in the world, with population estimates ranging from 12 to over 20 million people. The built-up area is situated along the banks of the western portion of Lake Lagoon and expands to the north, following the expressway to Abeokuta and Ibadan. Although the urban extension is mainly contained within the administrative boundaries of Lagos State, the city has begun to stretch beyond its borders, expanding in the direction of the main transport routes into Ogun State.

Abeokuta is the largest urban centre and capital of Ogun State, located in the South West Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria. Ogun State lies to the north of Lagos State, to the west of Ondo State, and to the south of Oyo State and Osun State. Abeokuta is built in the centre of the Lagos-Ibadan extended urban region or conurbation, and forms part of the larger metropolitan economic area. This strategic location, matched with the presence of diverse local resources, rapid population growth and enhanced political status has generated dynamic economic activities.

Designated as a catalyst development corridor, Iskandar Malaysia is one of Malaysia’s fastest growing areas in terms of population and economic activity. By 2025, the population is expected to have doubled from 1.6 million in 2006 to 3 million, whilst the GDP is expected to grow at an annual rate of change of 6 per cent. Established in 2006, Iskandar Malaysia was largely funded by the federal government’s investment arm, Kazanah Nasional Berhad.

Melaka State is strategically located on the southwestern coast of the Malaysian peninsula, facing the Straight of Melaka. It lies between the capital, Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru, which connects to Singapore. Melaka State has a population of 910,000 and an average annual population growth rate of 1.3%.