What does urbanization refer to?

Urbanization refers to the increasing population shift from rural to urban areas. This concept highlights how populations grow within cities as people migrate away from rural settings, often in search of better economic opportunities, improved living standards, and access to services such as education and healthcare.

As urban centers expand, they often become hubs of cultural, economic, and social activities, leading to heightened development and modernization. This phenomenon can also reflect broader societal trends, including industrialization and globalization, which encourage individuals to seek out urban environments for their perceived benefits over rural living.

The other options do not accurately represent urbanization. The increasing agricultural productivity is more related to advancements in farming technology and practices than to urbanization. Similarly, the movement of individuals toward rural areas and the decline of urban populations contradict the core definition of urbanization, which primarily focuses on the growth of urban areas due to population influx from rural settings.