Ecumenopolis

Ecumenopolis is a word used to describe a planet (or moon) whose urban areas and megalopolises have fused and become a single continuous worldwide city. The word is derived from the Greek οικουμένη (oikoumene), meaning "world", and πόλις (polis) meaning "city"; thus a "city made of the whole world" (pl. ecumenopolises or ecumenopoleis). Ancient works of science fiction on most worlds have depicted ecumenopolises.
According to most academics, the landmasses of a planet or moon must be at least 90% covered by cities in order to class as an ecumenopolis, although that definition is challenged by critics who say that an ocean world with a single urbanized island would technically fall into that category (such as Takerrex).
==History==
===Early theories===
While the idea of one continuous global city played itself out in a number of works of science fiction, engineers were seriously considering the long run landscape changes resulting from large-scale urbanization.
===Earth's history===
It was never conceived that all land on Earth would be paved over; rather that urban development would extend in ribbons across land masses. A review of 21st century nighttime lights of the Earth revealed that this type of pattern had emerged in some places.
The global urbanized area extended along recognized transportation trunklines. For example, the "ecumenopolis" in North America ran along I-95 from Portland, Maine down to Miami; as well as Boston to Washington. There was also a strip of continuous development in Southeast Asia.
The total global population was modeled as ranging from 15-50 billion. Constantinos Doxiadis, a famous city planner, took into account constraints on development due to the standard technology of the time, and stated that a 15 billion global population was the likely scenario, concentrated mostly along linear strips of urbanized development. It was theorized that the development would level off and be sustainable, and that most of the planet's surface would remain untouched by urbanization. That theory, however, did not take into account the effect of alien societies on the economy. When first contact was made with the Ra-Shi and Klak, the door to the entire galaxy was blown open. After the end of the war, business blossomed and Earth became an ecumenopolis by the year 2500.
==Ecumenopolises in the galaxy==
*Arisraco
*Aufea
*Caiiosi Hygus
*Cevach
*Earth
*Elotesil
*Hayirs V
*Kleuufra
*Lenalok
*Pera Tomiu
*Qromeelln
*Ralburi IX
*Riesel
**Markyle
*Sarune Drina
*Senholf
*Takerrex (this one only has 10% land; the rest is ocean)
==Other major urban planets==
These worlds are heavily urbanized, but not to the point of being classed as ecumenopolises.
*Aulunika
*Cauthana
*Cenyomane
*Denega
*Hallision and Haygrion
*N'mangu
*Pastuve
Category:Cities
Category:Planets
Category:Ecumenopolises