What is the term for the trend of moving from rural areas to urban areas?

Urbanization refers to the process and trend of populations moving from rural areas into urban centers, typically leading to increased urban growth and the expansion of cities. This shift often occurs as people seek better economic opportunities, access to services, and improved living conditions that urban areas can provide. Historically, urbanization has been closely linked to industrialization, as the growth of factories and industries in cities attracts workers from the countryside.

Suburbanization, on the other hand, involves the movement of people from cities to the surrounding suburbs, which is a different phenomenon than moving from rural to urban areas. Industrialization pertains specifically to the transition from agrarian economies to industrial manufacturing and does not inherently involve a population shift. Colonization deals with the establishment of settlements in new territories and is not relevant to the rural-to-urban migration context. Hence, urbanization is the accurate term for this demographic trend.