2023 World Largest Cities By Population
The Demographia World Urban Areas report provides information on population, land area, and population density for 990 urban areas across the globe that have a population of 500,000 or more.
These urban areas have a combined estimated population of 2.36 billion people, which represents 52 percent of the world’s urban population as of 2022.
Furthermore, the world’s urban population has now reached 57 percent of the total global population in 2022.
Megacities (Over 10 Million Population)
As of the latest count, there are now 44 megacities – urban areas with a population of at least 10 million. This is an increase of eight megacities from the previous count of 36.
Of the new additions, five are located in China: Chongqing, Xi’an, Zhengzhou, Dongguan, and Wuhan. The other three new megacities are Hyderabad in India, Lima in Peru, and Bogota in Colombia.
China has the most megacities with 11, followed by India with six, and Brazil, Japan, Pakistan, and the United States each having two.
In total, there are now 97 urban areas with a population of at least 5 million residents, up from 90 the previous year.
The Most Significant Urban Developments in the Last Year
Urban areas continue to grow and evolve at an unprecedented rate. In the last year alone, major changes have occurred in several cities across the world.
From population reductions to unexpected growth, these changes are transforming the urban landscape.
Let’s take a closer look at the most significant urban developments from the last year.
Tokyo-Yokohama: Lower Population Growth
Tokyo-Yokohama continues to hold the top spot as the largest urban area in the world, with an estimated population of over 38 million people.
However, the latest estimates from the Ministry of Communications reveal a lower population growth rate than expected. This has resulted in a slightly lower reported population than last year.
Jakarta: Population Reduction
Jakarta, the second-ranked urban area in the world, has experienced a population reduction due to a slower growth rate between the 2015 and 2020 censuses. Despite this, Jakarta remains the largest urban area in the southern hemisphere.
Guangzhou-Foshan: Unexpected Growth
Guangzhou-Foshan is now the fourth largest urban area in the world, with an estimated population of 26.9 million. This is due to a faster-than-expected population growth rate between the 2010 and 2020 censuses.
In fact, the metropolitan area added over 8 million residents in just one decade, making it one of the largest decadal metropolitan areas increases in history.
Megacities in China’s Greater Bay Area
Guangzhou-Foshan is part of China’s Greater Bay Area, along with two adjacent megacities: Dongguan and Shenzhen. The combined population of these three cities is estimated to be over 70 million people.
Mumbai: Fifth Largest Urban Area in the World
Mumbai ranks as the fifth largest urban area in the world, with an estimated population of over 24 million people. India accounts for two of the five largest urban areas in the world, with Delhi ranking third.
Manila: Sixth Largest Urban Area
Manila is the sixth largest urban area in the world, nearly equaling the population of Mumbai. With a rapidly growing population, Manila is expected to continue climbing up the rankings in the coming years.
Shanghai: Lower Growth Rate
Shanghai, the seventh-ranked urban area, has experienced significantly lower growth since 2010 than in the previous decade.
The city has implemented policies to limit population growth, along with Beijing (ranked 14th).
Sao Paulo: Largest Urban Area in the Western Hemisphere
Sao Paulo ranks as the eighth-largest urban area in the world and the largest in the western hemisphere. It is also the second largest in the southern hemisphere.
Seoul: Ninth Largest Urban Area
Seoul is the ninth-largest urban area in the world and the only representative in the top ten from a high-income nation.
With a population of over 23 million people, Seoul continues to grow at a steady pace.
Mexico City: Tenth Largest Urban Area
Mexico City is the tenth-largest urban area in the world and the largest in the western hemisphere.
With an estimated population of over 21 million people, it continues to be a major economic and cultural hub.
New York: Eleventh Largest Urban Area
New York is the eleventh largest urban area in the world, with an estimated population of over 20 million people.
Once the world’s largest urban area from about 1920 to 1950, it was ranked third largest in the world as late as 1990.
The Meaning of a Half-Urban World
In 2022, the world became more than 50% urban for the first time in history, with a median urban resident living in an area with a population of approximately 625,000.
LARGEST BUILT-UP URBAN AREAS IN THE WORLD
| Â |
Built-Up Land Area |
Urban Population Density |
 | |||||
|
Rank |
Geography |
Urban Area |
Population Estimate |
Square Miles |
Square Kilometers |
Per Square Mile |
Per Square Kilometer |
B |
|
1 |
Tokyo-Yokohama |
37,732,000 |
3,178 |
8,231 |
11,873 |
4,584 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
Jakarta |
33,756,000 |
1,369 |
3,546 |
24,657 |
9,521 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
Delhi, DL-UP-HR |
32,226,000 |
905 |
2,344 |
35,609 |
13,749 |
1 |
|
|
4 |
Guangzhou-Foshan, GD |
26,940,000 |
1,751 |
4,535 |
15,385 |
5,941 |
2 |
|
|
5 |
Mumbai, MH |
24,973,000 |
377 |
976 |
66,241 |
25,577 |
1 |
|
|
6 |
Manila |
24,922,000 |
738 |
1,911 |
33,770 |
13,039 |
1 |
|
|
7 |
Shanghai, SHG-JS-ZJ |
24,073,000 |
1,673 |
4,333 |
14,389 |
5,556 |
2 |
|
|
8 |
Sao Paulo |
23,086,000 |
1,409 |
3,649 |
16,385 |
6,326 |
1 |
|
|
9 |
Seoul-Incheon |
23,016,000 |
1,069 |
2,769 |
21,530 |
8,313 |
1 |
|
|
10 |
Mexico City |
21,804,000 |
977 |
2,530 |
22,317 |
8,617 |
1 |
|
|
11 |
New York, NY-NJ-CT |
21,509,000 |
4,669 |
12,093 |
4,607 |
1,779 |
2 |
|
|
12 |
Cairo |
20,296,000 |
776 |
2,010 |
26,155 |
10,099 |
1 |
|
|
13 |
Dhaka |
18,627,000 |
239 |
619 |
77,937 |
30,093 |
1 |
|
|
14 |
China |
Beijing, BJ-HEB |
18,522,000 |
1,654 |
4,284 |
11,198 |
4,324 |
2 |
|
15 |
Kolkata, WB |
18,502,000 |
522 |
1,352 |
35,444 |
13,686 |
1 |
|
|
16 |
Bangkok |
18,007,000 |
1,235 |
3,199 |
14,581 |
5,630 |
1 |
|
|
17 |
Shenzhen, GD |
17,619,000 |
696 |
1,803 |
25,315 |
9,774 |
2 |
|
|
18 |
Moscow |
17,332,000 |
2,376 |
6,154 |
7,295 |
2,817 |
1 |
|
|
19 |
Buenos Aires |
16,710,000 |
1,327 |
3,437 |
12,592 |
4,862 |
1 |
|
|
20 |
Lagos |
16,637,000 |
759 |
1,966 |
21,920 |
8,464 |
1 |
|
|
21 |
Istanbul |
16,079,000 |
568 |
1,471 |
28,308 |
10,930 |
1 |
|
|
22 |
Karachi |
15,738,000 |
434 |
1,124 |
36,263 |
14,002 |
1 |
|
|
23 |
Bangalore, KA |
15,386,000 |
541 |
1,401 |
28,440 |
10,981 |
1 |
|
|
24 |
Los Angeles, CA |
15,204,000 |
2,452 |
6,351 |
6,201 |
2,394 |
2 |
|
|
25 |
Ho Chi Minh City |
15,136,000 |
836 |
2,165 |
18,105 |
6,991 |
1 |
|
|
26 |
Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto |
15,126,000 |
1,166 |
3,020 |
12,973 |
5,009 |
1 |
|
|
27 |
Chengdu, SC |
14,645,000 |
747 |
1,935 |
19,605 |
7,570 |
2 |
|
|
28 |
Johannesburg-Pretoria |
14,586,000 |
1,560 |
4,040 |
9,350 |
3,610 |
1 |
|
|
29 |
Tehran |
14,148,000 |
658 |
1,704 |
21,502 |
8,302 |
1 |
|
|
30 |
Kinshasa |
12,836,000 |
183 |
474 |
70,142 |
27,083 |
2 |
|
|
31 |
Rio de Janeiro |
12,592,000 |
780 |
2,020 |
16,144 |
6,233 |
1 |
|
|
32 |
Chennai, TN |
12,395,000 |
419 |
1,085 |
29,582 |
11,422 |
1 |
|
|
33 |
Xi’an, SAA |
12,328,000 |
705 |
1,826 |
17,487 |
6,752 |
2 |
|
|
34 |
Lahore |
12,306,000 |
365 |
945 |
33,715 |
13,018 |
1 |
|
|
35 |
Chongqing, CQ |
12,135,000 |
610 |
1,580 |
19,893 |
7,681 |
2 |
|
|
36 |
London |
11,262,000 |
671 |
1,738 |
16,784 |
6,481 |
2 |
|
|
37 |
Paris |
11,060,000 |
1,102 |
2,853 |
10,040 |
3,877 |
1 |
|
|
38 |
Zhengzhou, HEN |
10,959,000 |
689 |
1,785 |
15,906 |
6,141 |
2 |
|
|
39 |
Dongguan, GD |
10,646,000 |
679 |
1,759 |
15,679 |
6,054 |
2 |
|
|
40 |
Hyderabad, TL |
10,494,000 |
542 |
1,404 |
19,362 |
7,476 |
1 |
|
|
41 |
Tianjin, TJ |
10,368,000 |
1,086 |
2,813 |
9,547 |
3,686 |
2 |
|
|
42 |
Lima |
10,320,000 |
344 |
891 |
30,000 |
11,583 |
1 |
|
|
43 |
Wuhan, HUB |
10,251,000 |
665 |
1,722 |
15,415 |
5,952 |
2 |
|
|
44 |
Bogota |
10,085,000 |
217 |
562 |
46,475 |
17,945 |
1 |
|
|
45 |
Hangzhou, ZJ |
9,523,000 |
519 |
1,344 |
18,349 |
7,085 |
2 |
|
|
46 |
Nagoya |
9,197,000 |
1,430 |
3,704 |
6,431 |
2,483 |
1 |
|
|
47 |
Taipei |
9,079,000 |
409 |
1,059 |
22,198 |
8,571 |
1 |
|
|
48 |
Chicago, IL-IN-WI |
9,057,000 |
2,705 |
7,006 |
3,348 |
1,293 |
2 |
|
|
49 |
Luanda |
9,051,000 |
388 |
1,005 |
23,327 |
9,007 |
1 |
|
|
50 |
Kuala Lumpur |
8,911,000 |
835 |
2,163 |
10,672 |
4,121 |
1 |
|
|
51 |
Nanjing, JS |
8,422,000 |
623 |
1,614 |
13,518 |
5,220 |
2 |
|
|
52 |
Pune, MH |
8,231,000 |
251 |
650 |
32,793 |
12,662 |
1 |
|
|
53 |
Ahmadabad, GJ |
8,009,000 |
156 |
404 |
51,340 |
19,823 |
1 |
|
|
54 |
Shenyang-Fushun, LN |
7,964,000 |
599 |
1,551 |
13,295 |
5,134 |
2 |
|
|
55 |
Dar es Salaam |
7,962,000 |
371 |
961 |
21,461 |
8,286 |
1 |
|
|
56 |
Khartoum |
7,869,000 |
398 |
1,031 |
19,771 |
7,634 |
1 |
| Â |
Built-Up Land Area |
Urban Population Density |
 | |||||
|
Rank |
Geography |
Urban Area |
Population Estimate |
Square Miles |
Square Kilometers |
Per Square Mile |
Per Square Kilometer |
B |
|
113 |
Wuxi, JS |
4,479,000 |
379 |
982 |
11,818 |
4,563 |
2 |
|
|
114 |
Cape Town |
4,448,000 |
324 |
839 |
13,728 |
5,301 |
1 |
|
|
115 |
Fuzhou, FJ |
4,443,000 |
288 |
746 |
15,427 |
5,957 |
2 |
|
|
116 |
Santo Domingo |
4,379,000 |
166 |
430 |
26,380 |
10,186 |
1 |
|
|
117 |
Ningbo, ZJ |
4,339,000 |
364 |
943 |
11,920 |
4,603 |
2 |
|
|
118 |
Casablanca |
4,314,000 |
181 |
469 |
23,834 |
9,203 |
1 |
|
|
119 |
Kathmandu |
4,313,000 |
77 |
199 |
56,013 |
21,627 |
1 |
|
|
120 |
Kuwait |
4,289,000 |
280 |
725 |
15,318 |
5,914 |
1 |
|
|
121 |
Kumasi |
4,257,000 |
251 |
650 |
16,960 |
6,549 |
1 |
|
|
122 |
Guiyang, GZ |
4,226,000 |
281 |
728 |
15,039 |
5,807 |
2 |
|
|
123 |
Detroit, MI |
4,221,000 |
1,648 |
4,268 |
2,561 |
989 |
2 |
|
|
124 |
Nanchang, JX |
4,198,000 |
300 |
777 |
13,993 |
5,403 |
2 |
|
|
125 |
Chittagong |
4,196,000 |
74 |
192 |
56,703 |
21,894 |
1 |
|
|
126 |
Changzhou, JS |
4,164,000 |
483 |
1,251 |
8,621 |
3,329 |
2 |
|
|
127 |
Dalian, LN |
4,135,000 |
403 |
1,044 |
10,261 |
3,962 |
2 |
|
|
128 |
Zhongshan, GD |
4,072,000 |
302 |
782 |
13,483 |
5,206 |
2 |
|
|
129 |
Jinan, SD |
4,017,000 |
360 |
932 |
11,158 |
4,308 |
2 |
|
|
130 |
Bamako |
4,014,000 |
163 |
422 |
24,626 |
9,508 |
1 |
|
|
131 |
Berlin |
4,012,000 |
528 |
1,368 |
7,598 |
2,934 |
1 |
|
|
132 |
Seattle, WA |
3,993,000 |
1,260 |
3,263 |
3,169 |
1,224 |
2 |
|
|
133 |
Kanpur, UP |
3,988,000 |
81 |
210 |
49,235 |
19,010 |
1 |
|
|
134 |
Wenzhou, ZJ |
3,984,000 |
206 |
534 |
19,340 |
7,467 |
2 |
|
|
135 |
Faisalabad |
3,961,000 |
121 |
313 |
32,736 |
12,640 |
1 |
|
|
136 |
Recife |
3,909,000 |
206 |
534 |
18,976 |
7,327 |
1 |
|
|
137 |
Aleppo |
3,868,000 |
109 |
282 |
35,486 |
13,702 |
1 |
|
|
138 |
Ibadan |
3,846,000 |
182 |
471 |
21,132 |
8,159 |
1 |
|
|
139 |
Shijiazhuang, HEB |
3,833,000 |
340 |
881 |
11,274 |
4,353 |
2 |
|
|
140 |
Ouagadougou |
3,831,000 |
182 |
471 |
21,049 |
8,128 |
1 |
|
|
141 |
Harbin, HL |
3,830,000 |
259 |
671 |
14,788 |
5,710 |
2 |
|
|
142 |
Busan |
3,814,000 |
230 |
596 |
16,583 |
6,403 |
1 |
|
|
143 |
Medan |
3,811,000 |
185 |
479 |
20,600 |
7,954 |
1 |
|
|
144 |
Algiers |
3,779,000 |
171 |
443 |
22,099 |
8,533 |
1 |
|
|
145 |
Dakar |
3,775,000 |
75 |
194 |
50,333 |
19,434 |
1 |
|
|
146 |
Abuja |
3,770,000 |
358 |
927 |
10,531 |
4,066 |
1 |
|
|
147 |
MedellÃn |
3,752,000 |
93 |
241 |
40,344 |
15,577 |
1 |
|
|
148 |
Montréal, QC |
3,707,000 |
534 |
1,383 |
6,942 |
2,680 |
1 |
|
|
149 |
Congo (Dem. Rep.) |
Mbuji-Mayi |
3,682,000 |
53 |
137 |
69,472 |
26,824 |
2 |
|
150 |
Fortaleza |
3,672,000 |
219 |
567 |
16,767 |
6,474 |
1 |
|
|
151 |
Naples |
3,636,000 |
398 |
1,031 |
9,136 |
3,527 |
1 |
|
|
152 |
Douala |
3,629,000 |
78 |
202 |
46,526 |
17,964 |
1 |
|
|
153 |
Porto Alegre |
3,625,000 |
347 |
899 |
10,447 |
4,034 |
1 |
|
|
154 |
Tashkent |
3,585,000 |
415 |
1,075 |
8,639 |
3,335 |
1 |
|
|
155 |
Colombo |
3,581,000 |
270 |
699 |
13,263 |
5,121 |
1 |
|
|
156 |
Indore, MP |
3,575,000 |
109 |
282 |
32,798 |
12,664 |
1 |
|
|
157 |
Mashhad |
3,521,000 |
183 |
474 |
19,240 |
7,429 |
2 |
|
|
158 |
Brasilia |
3,507,000 |
372 |
963 |
9,427 |
3,640 |
1 |
|
|
159 |
Salvador |
3,462,000 |
168 |
435 |
20,607 |
7,957 |
1 |
|
|
160 |
Athens |
3,450,000 |
225 |
583 |
15,333 |
5,920 |
1 |
|
|
161 |
Varanasi, UP |
3,380,000 |
67 |
174 |
50,448 |
19,479 |
1 |
|
|
162 |
Changchun, JL |
3,354,000 |
316 |
818 |
10,614 |
4,098 |
2 |
|
|
163 |
Durban |
3,318,000 |
414 |
1,072 |
8,014 |
3,095 |
1 |
|
|
164 |
Nagpur, MH |
3,300,000 |
107 |
277 |
30,841 |
11,908 |
1 |
|
|
165 |
Patna, BR |
3,299,000 |
58 |
150 |
56,879 |
21,962 |
1 |
|
|
166 |
Gujranwala |
3,292,000 |
84 |
218 |
39,190 |
15,132 |
1 |
|
|
167 |
Sana |
3,274,000 |
97 |
251 |
33,753 |
13,032 |
1 |
|
|
168 |
Lusaka |
3,270,000 |
121 |
313 |
27,025 |
10,435 |
1 |
Source: Demographia World Urban Areas 18th Annual 2022.07
See Also:
Sources:
- GeoNames
- World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision – United Nations Population Division
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- World Urbanization Prospects – Population Division – United Nations
- United Nations Statistics Division
- World Bank