Like the largest city in the world. What is the largest city in the world

Did you know that in the largest city in the world lives three times more people than in Moscow, and the city itself is 32 times larger in area than Moscow? Read below.

No. 10. Wuhan (China) - 8,494 km²

Wuhan stands at the confluence of the Yangtze and Han rivers. The territory of the Wuhan metropolis consists of 3 parts - Wuchang, Hankou and Hanyang, which together are called the “Wuhan Tricity”. These three parts stand opposite each other on different banks of the rivers, they are connected by bridges. The population of Wuhan is 10,220,000 people. The history of the city goes back 3000 years, when an important trading port was formed on the site of the future Wuhan. There are 8 national and 14 public colleges and universities in Wuhan.

No. 9. Kinshasa (Congo) - 9,965 km²

Kinshasa is the capital Democratic Republic Congo, located on the Congo River. Until 1966, Kinshasa was called Leopoldville. The population of the city is 10,125,000 people. Kinshasa is the second most populous city in Africa, after Lagos.

No. 8. Melbourne (Australia) - 9,990 km²

Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia and the capital of the state of Victoria. The metropolitan area has a population of approximately 4,529,500. Melbourne is the southernmost millionaire city in the world. Melbourne is one of the main commercial, industrial and cultural centers of Australia. Melbourne is also often referred to as the "sports and cultural capital" countries. The city is famous for its architecture and combination of Victorian and modern styles, parks and gardens. In 2016, The Economist magazine named Melbourne, for the sixth time in a row, the most comfortable city on the planet to live based on a combination of characteristics. Melbourne was founded in 1835 as an agricultural settlement on the banks of the Yarra River.

No. 7. Tianjin (China) - 11,760 km²

Tianjin is located in northern China along the Bohai Bay. The population of the city is 15,469,500 people. The majority of the population is Han, but representatives of small ethnic groups also live. These are mainly: Hui, Koreans, Manchus and Mongols. In the 20th century, Tianjin became the locomotive of Chinese industrialization, the largest center of heavy and light industry.

No. 6. Sydney (Australia) - 12,144 km²

Sydney - largest city Australia, with a population of 4,840,600 people. Sydney is the capital of the state of New South Wales. Sydney was founded in 1788 by Arthur Phillip, who arrived here at the head of the First Fleet. Sydney is the first site of colonial European settlement in Australia. The city was named after Lord Sydney, the British Secretary of State for the Colonies. The city is famous for its opera house, Harbor Bridge and beaches. Residential areas of greater Sydney are surrounded national parks. The coastline is rich in bays, coves, beaches and islands. Sydney is one of the most multicultural and multicultural cities in the world. Sydney ranks first in Australia and 66th in the world in terms of cost of living.

No. 5. Chengdu (China) - 12,390 km²

Chengdu is a city-subprovince in southwestern China, in the valley of the Minjiang River, the administrative center of Sichuan Province. Population - 14,427,500 people. The emblem of the city is the ancient golden disk “Birds of the Golden Sun,” which was found in 2001 during excavations of the Jinsha culture within the city. Chengdu is a major center of economics, trade, finance, science and technology, as well as an important center of transport and communications. Chengdu has become the main center of new urbanization in China.

No. 4. Brisbane (Australia) - 15,826 km²

Brisbane is a city in Australia, Queensland. The population of the city is 2,274,560 people. The city is located in eastern Australia, on the banks of the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay Pacific Ocean. It is included in the top hundred global cities in the world. Founded in 1825, old name - Edenglassie. Since 1859 it has been the capital of Queensland.

No. 3. Beijing (China) - 16,801 km²

Beijing is the capital of China. It is the largest railway and road junction and one of the main air hubs in the country. Beijing is the political, educational and cultural center of the People's Republic of China. Beijing is one of four ancient capitals of China. In 2008, Beijing hosted the Summer Olympic Games. The city will host the Winter Olympic Games in 2022. The population of the city is 21,705,000 people.

No. 2. Hangzhou (China) - 16,840 km²

Hangzhou is a sub-city city, the capital of Zhejiang Province, located 180 km southwest of Shanghai. The population of the city is 9,018,500 people. The former name of Hangzhou is Lin'an, in the pre-Mongol era it was the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty and was the most populated city in the then world. Now Hangzhou is famous for its tea plantations and natural beauties. The most famous place is Lake Xihu.

No. 1. Chongqing (China) - 82,400 km²

Chongqing is the largest by area of ​​the four Chinese cities under central jurisdiction. The population of the city is 30,165,500 people. Chongqing arose more than 3 thousand years ago. The city was the capital of the Ba kingdom and was called Jiangzhou. Now Chongqing is one of the largest commercial centers in China. Most of the city's economy is built on industry. Main industries: chemical, mechanical engineering and metallurgical. Chongqing is also China's largest automobile manufacturing base. There are 5 automobile production factories and more than 400 automobile parts factories here.
P.S. Moscow - 2561 km2 St. Petersburg - 1439 km2 Ekaterinburg - 468 km2 Kazan - 425 km2 Novosibirsk - 505 km2 Volgograd - 565 km2

Finding out which is the largest city in the world is easy. True, there will be several such megacities. After all, some are leaders in size, others in population.

Largest cities in the world by population

When studying modern geographical map It is difficult to determine which settlements have the most people and which city is the largest in the world. After all, over time, large metropolitan areas were joined by numerous suburbs: small towns, villages, large and small villages. Neighboring settlements formed vast areas of continuous construction - agglomerations. Such zones are clearly visible on satellite images in clear weather due to artificial lighting, which is used in cities and suburbs. The most large agglomerations located in different parts of the globe, each of them is home to millions of people.

The tenth place in the world is occupied by Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil and the most populated metropolis on the American continent. It is a multinational port with developed tourism and a rich cultural life with a population of about 20 million people. It harmoniously combines ancient buildings and modern architectural ensembles made of glass and metal.

The largest city in the United States, New York, is in 9th place. It is home to more than 8 million people, and the New York metropolitan area has about 21 million residents. This metropolis is an influential economic and financial center not only of the country, but also of the world. Broadway theaters and the Statue of Liberty are the city's most famous attractions. New York experienced most of the saddest events in US history last decades - terrorist attacks September 11, 2001 Foreign tourists consider this city the most attractive place to visit in the United States.

Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is in eighth place. Together with the suburbs, the most populated city India has more than 22 million inhabitants. This is a place where the cultures of Asia and Europe are combined, national traditions are preserved, and local residents enjoy participating in festivals and celebrations of numerous ethnic groups.

According to approximate data, there are about 3 million cities on the planet. Small and large, developed and poor, beautiful resorts and fascinating historical ones. Everyone is good in their own way. And there are those that are notable precisely for their area. In our article we will talk about XXL size cities. The criterion for the rating was the “net” area of ​​the city, which it occupies without taking into account districts and agglomerations. Meet the largest cities in the world by area!

Sydney (12144, 6 sq. km)

The ranking opens with the largest city on earth by area - Sydney. In combination, it is the largest and one of the most popular Australian cities. It was founded by Arthur Phillip in 1788. The city got its name from Lord Sydney, the famous Minister of the British Colonies.


Area: 12144.6 sq. km. Of this, only 1.7 thousand square meters. km is allocated to residential areas, the rest of the territory is mountains and numerous picturesque parks. The population is 4.5 million people, making Sydney the most populous city in the entire country.

Sydney is built around Port Jackson Harbour, one of the largest natural bays on earth! The city is bounded to the west by the Blue Mountains, to the east by the Pacific waters, to the south by the Royal National Park, and to the north by the incredibly beautiful Hawkesbury River.

Kinshasa (10,550 sq. km)

The gigantic capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo used to have a funny name - Leopoldville. In 1966 it was renamed Kinshasa. Area: 10550 sq. km. Most of it is in sparsely populated rural areas. The population is over 10 million people.


Kinshasa stretches along the southern bank of the Congo River and is located directly opposite the city of Brazzaville (the capital of the Republic of Congo). This unique phenomenon when two capitals are located so close to each other - by different sides one river!

Interesting fact: Kinshasa is the 2nd city in the world after Paris in which the majority of the population speaks French.

Buenos Aires (4000 sq. km)

The top three largest cities in the world by area are closed by the delightful capital of Argentina - Buenos Aires. It is one of the most beautiful and lively cities in the country. It was created in 1580 on the coast of the Gulf of La Plata. Twice in its history it was restored from ruins: a few years after its founding, it was burned by the Indians, and in the 19th century it suffered from a series of earthquakes.


Area: 4,000 sq. km. The population is about 2.8 million people.

On the eastern and southern sides the city is bordered by the bays of Rio de la Plata and Riachuelo. The remaining perimeter is occupied by the legendary Avenida General Paz highway - it surrounds the city from the west and north.

Karachi (3530 sq. km)

Karachi is a giant port city in Pakistan, the capital of the Sindh province. The history of the city dates back to the era of Alexander the Great.


Area: 3530 sq. km is 4 times the area of ​​Hong Kong. The population is over 12 million people. It rightfully bears the title of one of the most densely populated cities on the planet.

The city is geographically located in the south of Pakistan, on a flat area off the coast of the Arabian Sea.

Alexandria (2680 sq. km)

This ancient city for more than a millennium. It was created in 332 BC by the same Alexander the Great. It is the second largest city in Egypt and the main seaport of the state. Entered the top 5 largest cities on earth by area!


Area: 2680 sq. km. The population is about 4.5 million people.

Alexandria is nestled in the Nile Delta and is approximately 32 km long along the Mediterranean coast.

Ankara (2500 sq. km)

The Turkish capital Ankara is one of the ancient cities Asia Minor and the second most important city in Turkey (second only to Istanbul). It dates back to the 7th century BC!


Area: 2500 sq. km. The population is about 4.9 million people.

The city is located at the confluence of the Çubuk and Ankara rivers, on the Anatolian Plateau.

Istanbul (2106 sq. km)

The former capital of the Great Empires also boasts its scale. Previously, the city bore the proud name of Constantinople and was a real cradle of civilizations.


Area: 2106 sq. km. The population is about 14 million people.

Located on the banks of the Bosphorus Strait. This is one of the most beautiful cities on the planet, which is included in the top 10 popular tourist routes.

Tehran (1881 sq. km)

It is a majestic city of Iran and ranks high on the list of major cities in Asia. Archaeological excavations indicate that settlements existed on the site of the city as early as the 6th century BC.


Area: 1881 sq. km. The population is about 9 million people.

Tehran is located in the north of Iran at the foot of mountain range Elbrus.

Bogota (1590 sq. km)

For the appearance of this amazing city It’s worth saying “thank you” to the Spanish conquistadors. They were the ones who founded Bogota in 1538! Today it is the capital of the Republic of Colombia with an area of ​​1590 square meters. km. The population is about 7 million people.


The city is geographically located in the basin of the western slope of the Eastern Cordillera, right on the equator. Famous for its chic futuristic architecture, rich selection of museums, incredibly beautiful colonial churches and destructive frequent earthquakes.

London (1580 sq. km)

“London from the Capital of Great Britain” - every schoolchild knows this. Do you know that it is also one of the largest ports in Britain, as well as a giant city, completing the top 10 largest cities in the world by area?


London was founded back in 43 AD when the Romans invaded Britain. It is located on the Greenwich meridian, on the Thames River and bears the “title” of the city of fogs. Yes, fog is a common occurrence here, as is rain.

Area: 1580 sq. km. The population is about 8 million people.

Every country has huge amount cities. Large and small, rich and poor, industrial and luxurious resorts. Cities are different, and each city is remarkable in its own way. One attracts with its landscapes, the second - with its rich life, the third - high level development of technology, the fourth - its history. But there are cities that are known primarily for their area. And in this article we will find out what largest cities in the world.

In first place in terms of area is Sydney - the most big city in the world. It is also the largest and, perhaps, the most famous city in Australia; it covers an area of ​​12144.6 km2, and its population is almost 5 million people. This city was founded in 1788 by the head of the First Fleet, Arthur Phillip, and named after the British Secretary of the Colonies, Lord Sydney. Among the attractions of Sydney, the most famous is the Sydney Opera House.

In second place is Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This city cannot be called densely populated, since most of its territory is countryside. The city covers an area of ​​10,550 km2. One of the special features of Kinshasa is that it is the second city in the world where the majority of the population speaks French. In first place, of course, is Paris.

Third place on our list is occupied by Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. The city covers an area of ​​4000 km2. In addition to being the largest city in Argentina (and the world), Buenos Aires is also the busiest city in the country. And, without exaggeration, one of the most beautiful.

In fourth place is Karachi. It is the capital of the Sindh province, in southern Pakistan. The city has a long history, dating back to the time of Alexander the Great. The area of ​​Karachi is 4 times larger than Hong Kong, and is 3530 km2.

Alexandria takes fifth place on our list. It was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. Alexandria has been a unique city since its founding. Thus, it was built as a regular city and was deprived of the polis organization characteristic of cities of that time. Alexandria was the capital of Egypt during the reign of Ptolemy. But over time, the city fell into decay, and began to revive only in the 19th century. Today Alexandria is the largest city in the world with an area of ​​2680 km2.


In sixth place is Ankara, one of the most ancient cities in Asia Minor. Ankara traces its history back to the 7th century BC. Ankara is the capital of Turkey, but only since 1923. Until that time, the city, although large (even then), was provincial. The area of ​​Ankara is 2500 km2.

Seventh place is occupied by one of the largest cities in Turkey - Istanbul. Istanbul is known as the former capital of the Ottoman, Byzantine, and Roman empires. This preference is understandable, because Istanbul is one of the most beautiful cities in Turkey, and indeed in the whole world. Previously, Istanbul was called Constantinople. Today Istanbul is the industrial, commercial and cultural center of Turkey, as well as a major trading port. The area of ​​the city is 2106 km2.

The last three places were taken by Tehran (the capital of Iran, 1881 km2), Bogota (the capital of the Republic of Colombia, 1590 km2 and London (the capital of Great Britain, 1580 km2). In such company, the foggy European city is somehow lost, but, nevertheless, it is included in ten largest cities in the world.

As you can see from this list, the big cities are not in Europe or the USA. Australia, Asia, Africa, South America- these are the leaders in terms of the presence of the largest cities.

The size of a city is determined by its population. This is why there are many cities that have large sizes and yet are called small because of the lack of inhabitants. Although it is not always good that the size of a city is estimated only by the number of people per capita. Here are the ten largest cities in the world based on population.

1. Tokyo, Japan - 37 million people

As the richest city in the entire world, there is no doubt that the Japanese city may be the most big city in the world. Tokyo has grown quite a lot from its very humble beginnings both in economy and in population. The population is over 37 million people.

2. Jakarta, Indonesia - 26 million people

Being the largest political and financial center in the country, Jakarta is undoubtedly the second largest city in the world with a population of about 26 million people.

3. Seoul, South Korea— 22.5 million people

It is not surprising that in lately Seoul is growing rapidly, and its development is not only limited in the economic sphere, but also in population and technology. The population is 22.5 million.

4. Delhi, India - 22.2 million people

Delhi comes in fourth and is almost equal in population to Seoul with 22.2 million.

5. Shanghai, China - 20.8 million people

China is known for its vast territory and dense population. Shanghai has the fifth largest population with 20.8 million people.

6. Manila, Philippines - 22.7 million people

Manila ranks sixth in the list of largest cities in the world.

7. Karachi, Pakistan - 20.7 million people

Being the cultural center of Pakistan, Karachi makes it the seventh largest city in the world, with a population of 20.7 million.

8. New York, USA -20.46 million people

Who hasn't heard of New York? Yes, it is the most populous city in the US at 20.46 million people. New York City largely stands out in terms of cultural diversity as it is home to many people from different parts of the world.