Ranking: The world’s largest cities by population
The world has experienced rapid urbanization over the past century.
Today, more than 4.3 billion people live in cities, that is 55% of the world’s population.
But what is the largest city in the world? The answers to this question vary widely depending on the lines used to demarcate city boundaries and measure their population.
The chart above uses data from the latest official census and forecasts to rank the top cities based on the three most common metrics.
The largest cities by actual cities
Our first metric is based on the actual city, i.e. the administrative boundaries.
According to the United Nations, a city proper is “the only political jurisdiction encompassing the historic city center”.
The Chinese city of Chongqing tops the list on this metric and has an administrative boundary the size of Austria with an urban population of 32.1 million.
The city’s monorail system is the longest and busiest in the world, with 70 stations. Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is among the 50 busiest airports in the world. The city is also one of the world’s top 50 centers for scientific research.
Other Chinese cities dominate the ranking based on this metric:
| rank | City | Population (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | ๐จ๐ณ Chongqing | 32.1m |
| #2 | ๐จ๐ณ Shanghai | 24.9m |
| #3 | ๐จ๐ณ Beijing | 21.9m |
| #4 | ๐ฎ๐ณ Delhi | 16.8m |
| #5 | ๐จ๐ณ Chengdu | 16.0m |
| #6 | ๐น๐ท Istanbul | 15.5m |
| #7 | ๐ต๐ฐ Karachi | 14.9m |
| #8th | ๐จ๐ณ Guangzhou | 14.5m |
| #9 | ๐จ๐ณ Tianjin | 13.9m |
| #10 | ๐ฏ๐ต Tokyo | 13.5m |
The first non-Chinese city, Delhi, is experiencing one of the fastest urban expansions in the world.
The United Nations predicts that India will add over 400 million urban dwellers by 2050, compared to 250 million people in China and 190 million in Nigeria.
The largest cities by metropolitan area
This measurement largely ignores territorial boundaries and considers a city as a continuous, contiguous built-up area.
Demographia describes urban areas as integrated economic entities linked by commuting flows and social and economic interactions.
According to this key figure, Tokyo leads the ranking:
| rank | City | Population (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | ๐ฏ๐ต Tokyo | 37.7m |
| #2 | ๐ฎ๐ฉ Jakarta | 33.8m |
| #3 | ๐ฎ๐ณ Delhi | 32.2m |
| #4 | ๐จ๐ณ Guangzhou | 26.9m |
| #5 | ๐ฎ๐ณ Bombay | 25.0m |
| #6 | ๐ต๐ญ Manila | 24.9m |
| #7 | ๐จ๐ณ Shanghai | 24.1m |
| #8th | ๐ฌ๐ง Sao Paulo | 23.1m |
| #9 | ๐ฐ๐ท Seoul | 23.0m |
| #10 | ๐ฒ๐ฝ Mexico City | 21.8m |
About 10% of the Japanese population live in the city proper. Looking at the greater Tokyo area, including cities like Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba, Tokyo’s total population exceeds 37 million – about 30% of the country’s total population.
As a result, despite having one of the largest railway systems in the world, Tokyo trains are incredibly crowded, with boarding rates in the most congested areas being 200% during rush hour. The city is also known for its Shibuya Crossing, the busiest crossing in the world.
The largest cities by metropolitan area
By our final measure, metropolitan area, Tokyo is also at the top.
This measurement is similar to urban area, but is generally defined by official organizations, either for statistical purposes or for administration.
In the United States, this takes the form of Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) such as Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler.
| rank | City | Population (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | ๐ฏ๐ต Tokyo | 37.3m |
| #2 | ๐ฎ๐ฉ Jakarta | 33.4m |
| #3 | ๐ฎ๐ณ Delhi | 29.0 m |
| #4 | ๐ฐ๐ท Seoul | 25.5m |
| #5 | ๐ฎ๐ณ Bombay | 24.4m |
| #6 | ๐ฒ๐ฝ Mexico City | 21.8m |
| #7 | ๐ฌ๐ง Sao Paulo | 21.7m |
| #8th | ๐ณ๐ฌ Lagos | 21.0m |
| #9 | ๐บ๐ธNew York | 20.1m |
| #10 | ๐ท๐บ Moscow | 20.0m |
As the world’s urban population continues to grow, new cities, particularly in Africa and Asia, are expected to compete for the title of ‘biggest’.
The UN estimates that by 2050, 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas.
Comments are closed.