Many urban centers are vying for the title of the world’s largest city. But there are many different ways of measuring this and even more ambiguities. Only one thing is certain: the largest city in the world is in Asia. Read more here.
With almost 30 million inhabitants, Shanghai is probably the third largest city in the world. Image source: Unsplash
Dispute over the definition
The question of which is the largest city in the world has been on our minds ever since cities have existed. To answer this question, it is first necessary to determine what all belongs to a city. According to the United Nations, cities can consist of the urban area, the urban area and its surroundings, or the metropolitan region.
For example, the Chinese city of Chongqing, which is often referred to as the largest city in the world, has an administrative area the size of Austria and the highest population within city limits. In English, this is called “city proper”. However, 70 percent of the people in Chongqing live in rural areas within the city limits.
According to UNICEF, a commonly accepted definition of the city is “the population living within the city limits or under the direct jurisdiction of the city authorities”. Accordingly, both political and legal boundaries apply. This explains why suburbs are often not part of the city. Still other definitions focus on the metropolitan area, as typically many people who are in the city for work on a daily basis live in the immediate vicinity of the city. They are part of the city’s labor market.
The Chinese metropolis of Chongqing is one of the largest cities in China - and the world? Image source: Unsplash
An attempt at a top 10 list of the world's largest cities
According to Statista, the largest cities in the world in 2023 will be these metropolitan areas
- Tokyo in Japan with 37.2 million people
- Delhi in India with 32.9 million people
- Shanghai in China with 29.2 million people
- Dhaka in Bangladesh with 23.2 million people
- Sao Paulo in Brazil with 22.6 million people
- Mexico City in Mexico with 22.3 million people
- Cairo in Egypt with 22.2 million people
- Beijing in China with 21.8 million people
- Mumbai in India with 21.3 million people
- Osaka in Japan with 19 million people
But Chongqing in China, Seoul in South Korea and Manila in the Philippines are also among the largest cities. And New York City, Istanbul, Karachi and Guangzhou are also megacities. The figures vary depending on how they are counted. The census surveys in different countries and cities are also different, which is why not all figures are up to date. Informal settlements, refugees and registration systems that do not always work well make it even more difficult to collect accurate figures. Therefore, the figures are always estimates.
Incidentally, the three largest cities in Europe are Istanbul (almost 16 million inhabitants), Moscow (13.1 million) and London (8.8 million).
Tokyo tops many lists of the world's largest city. Image source: Unsplash
Largest cities in Europe
Incidentally, the three largest cities in Europe are Istanbul (almost 16 million inhabitants), Moscow (13.1 million) and London (8.8 million).
Does Chongqing count?
Chongqing is without question one of the largest cities in the world (32 million people) and should therefore be given special attention. It is one of the four directly administered cities in the People’s Republic of China. The others are Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. Overall, the municipality – the only one of the four that is located inland – is about the size of Austria. In addition to Chongqing, it includes several other cities. Although the area does not have the largest urbanized area in the world, it has the largest administrative area in terms of population.
It is also the only city in China with a permanent population of over 30 million. This includes rural areas, which is why the title of the world’s largest city is questionable. Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen have larger urban populations, but as an urban community, Chongqing wins.
The Chinese city has a long history and a rich culture. It is the financial center of the Sichuan Basin and the upper Yangtze River. The megacity has one of the busiest airports in the world, the longest monorail system and a large number of foreign representative offices and research institutes. One of the four most important Chinese car manufacturers, Changan, is based in Chongqing.
Delhi will be the largest city in the world in 2030 with almost 39 million people. Image source: Unsplash
The largest cities in the world are in Asia
According to current estimates, Tokyo could have over 37 million inhabitants, making it the largest city in the world. In any case, the Japanese metropolis is one of the largest and most influential cities in Asia. The city used to be known as Edo. It developed from a small town and broke the million mark as early as 1720. From 1868, the city was called Tokyo and grew even faster than before. In 1900, two million people lived here and by the 1940s, the figure had risen to seven million. Today, Tokyo is indispensable not only for the economy but also for tourism.
At least 32 million people live in Delhi, although there is a large unknown due to the many informal settlements or “slums”. The huge Indian city has been inhabited since the 6th century and has been the center of many kingdoms. Today, a large part of the Indian government is located here.
With a population of at least 28.5 million people, Shanghai is one of the largest cities in the world. The economic center in the east of China has one of the largest seaports in the world. The city used to be a market and fishing village, but became increasingly important from the 19th century onwards due to its geographical location. Today, Shanghai is regarded as the epitome of China’s rapidly growing economy.
Sustainable climate solutions sought for large cities
The United Nations estimates that a further 600 million people will be living in the world by 2030. There are already more than 8 billion, over half of whom live in cities. By 2030, there will be at least 60 percent urban dwellers. According to estimates by the United Nations from 2018, there are 81 cities worldwide in which more than 5 million people live. This includes both actual cities with city limits as well as metropolitan regions and urban areas.
Megacities
The number of megacities with over 10 million inhabitants is also interesting. There are 34 of them worldwide: 21 in Asia, 6 in Latin America and 3 in Africa. According to the United Nations, there could be 43 megacities by 2030. With almost 39 million inhabitants, Delhi will probably be the largest city in the world by then.
In view of the climate crisis, which has a particularly drastic impact in cities and is also fueled by large cities, it is essential to find good solutions for the city of the future. Cities like London and Paris are showing how sustainable urban living is possible.