Final answer:
Residents of developing countries make up about 80 percent of the world's total population due to high population growth in those regions and higher fertility rates, particularly in Africa. Urbanization trends show a correlation between income and level of urbanization, with high-income countries being the most urbanized.
Step-by-step explanation:
Residents of developing countries make up about 80 percent of the world's total population. This significant figure is due to the high rates of population growth found predominantly in these regions, contrasted with the stable or declining populations in developed areas such as Europe and North America. Factors contributing to this trend include higher fertility rates, especially evident in the African continent, and a large proportion of the global population living in countries with rapidly growing numbers such as China and India.
Urbanization trends also reflect these demographic shifts with a quadrupling of urban populations from 1960 to 2020. The most urbanized regions are often in high-income countries, demonstrating a direct correlation between income and urbanization levels. Conversely, many low to lower-middle-income countries still have a majority of their population living in rural areas. Understanding this global population distribution is essential for addressing challenges such as labor shortages in various fields and sustainable development, particularly in less developed nations.