- Progress and innovation over the past 20 years alone have changed the world in countless ways.
- The past two decades have been marked by changes in our technology, politics, and global demographics.
- These changes aren't always better — but they are different.
The past two decades have been marked by incredible progress and innovation.
Think about it: in 1998, cell phones were still a rarity, people could only dream of self-driving cars, and for many, the internet was only just catching on.
Twenty years later, it's obvious how much the world has changed.
Take a look at some of the most dramatic transformations the world has undergone in just two decades.
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The global population has exploded.
In 1998, the world was gearing up for a huge milestone — the global population was sitting at 5.9 billion, and the following year would finally break the 6 billion mark.
Fast forward 20 years, and the world's population is estimated at 7.6 billion. Meanwhile, the US population has jumped from about 276 million to 327 million in the same time frame.
And more and more people are living in cities.
Another huge population shift is happening in our cities. Twenty years ago, less than half of the world's population lived in urban areas, according to The World Bank.
But in 2007, the world's urban population eclipsed the 50% mark, and today 55% of people live in urban areas. That number could reach as high as 66% by 2050, putting further strain on cities that are already being pushed to the brink, according to a UN report.
Buildings are reaching previously unimaginable heights.
In 1998, the brand-new Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia became the tallest buildings in the world, standing at 1,483 feet and edging out Chicago's Sears Tower by just 33 feet.
Since then, there has been an explosion in the number of skyscrapers worldwide — and they keep getting taller. The current title-holder, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, stands more than 1,000 feet taller than the Petronas Towers, which have fallen all the way to 15th on the global list.
There are seven more skyscrapers under construction — all in Asia — that will top out at over 1,600 feet. The tallest among them, Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Tower, will be the first building to ever surpass the 3,000-feet mark. Collectively, the increase in skyscrapers is a symbol of Asia's emergence onto the international business stage, as The New York Times put it.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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