01/28/2016 at 03:54 pm pavlofox · 89 910

Top 10 largest cities in the world by area

Exploring cities is an extremely interesting activity. Each of them has its own history, and they are all so different: industrial giants, resort areas and tiny provincial towns. But among them there are largest cities in the world by area and. Who entered our top 10 - we will find out further.

We note right away that it is quite difficult to determine the boundaries of the territories of modern cities and rank the largest of them. To be as accurate as possible, the researchers use the so-called light imprint - this is the area of ​​​​artificial illumination of the settlement and its suburbs from the height of the aircraft. Satellite maps are also used, which clearly show cities and rural areas that are not included in them.

10. London | Area 1580 km²

The capital of foggy Albina opens the list of the largest cities in the world in terms of area. It is the largest metropolis in the European Union and the leading financial, political and economic center of the country. It covers an area of ​​about 1580 square kilometers. London is a favorite place for visiting tourists who want to see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the famous Royal Guards and many other equally interesting sights.

9. Sydney | Area 2037 km²

Ninth place in the ranking of the largest cities in the world in terms of area - Sydney. It covers an area of ​​2037 square kilometers. In many ratings, it occupies a leading position as the largest metropolis. The fact is that the Australian Bureau of Statistics includes the nearest national parks and the Blue Mountains in Sydney. As a result, the formal territory of Sydney is 12,145 square kilometers. Be that as it may, it is the largest metropolis in Australia and Oceania.

8. Tokyo | Area 2189 km²

In 8th place among the largest cities in the world in terms of area is located, covering an area of ​​​​2189 square kilometers. The capital of Japan is the most important economic, political and cultural center of the Land of the Rising Sun. Tokyo is an incredibly beautiful city in which modernity and antiquity are closely intertwined. Here, next to ultra-modern high-rise buildings, you can find tiny houses on narrow streets, as if descended from old engravings. Despite the strongest earthquake in 1923 and the destruction caused to the city during World War II, Tokyo is one of the fastest growing modern cities.

7. Karachi | Area 3530 km²

The Pakistani port city with an area of ​​3530 square kilometers ranks 7th in the list of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. This is the first capital of Pakistan and the main industrial, financial and commercial center of the state. At the beginning XVIII century Karachi was a small fishing village. After the capture of Karachi by the British troops, the village quickly turned into a major port city. Since that time, it has grown and played an increasingly important role in the country's economy. Nowadays, due to the influx of migrants, overcrowding has become one of the main problems of the metropolis.

6. Moscow | Area 4662 km²

- in 6th place in the list of the largest cities in the world in terms of area. The capital of Russia is considered the second largest city in Europe after Istanbul. The area of ​​the metropolis is 4662 square kilometers. It is not only the political and financial, but also the cultural center of the country, which attracts a huge number of tourists.

5. Istanbul | Area 5343 km²

The center of trade and industry, as well as the main port of Turkey with an area of ​​​​5343 square kilometers, is in 5th place in the ranking of the largest cities in the world. It is located in a picturesque place - on the banks of the Bosphorus. Istanbul is a unique city, which at one time was the capital of four great empires and is located immediately in Asia and Europe. There are many beautiful monuments of antiquity here: the thousand-year-old St. Sophia Cathedral, the majestic Blue Mosque, the luxurious Dolmabahce Palace. Istanbul strikes with an abundance of a wide variety of museums. Since most of them are located in the center, it is convenient for many tourists to combine their visit with walks around this beautiful city.

4. Brasilia | Area 5802 km²

It occupies the fourth place in the ranking of the largest megacities in the world in terms of area. The city is located on an area of ​​5802 square kilometers. The city received the status of the capital of the Republic of Brazil relatively recently - in 1960. The construction of the metropolis was planned in such a way as to attract the population to sparsely populated areas and develop them. Therefore, Brazil is located far from the main economic and political centers of the country.

3. Shanghai | Area 6340 km²

With a territory of 6340 square kilometers, it ranks third in the list of the largest cities in the world in terms of area. Shanghai has about 24 million people. This is one of the most interesting and unusual Chinese cities. We can say that it reflects modern China - energetic, fast-growing and focused on the future. Shanghai is one of the largest shopping centers in the world.

2. Guangzhou | Area 7434 km²

With an area of ​​7,434.4 square kilometers, the Chinese metropolis ranks second in the ranking of the largest cities in the world. It is the industrial, political and cultural center of the southern regions of China. The population is approximately 21 million people. Guangzhou has a thousand years of history. Earlier in Europe the city was known as Canton. The maritime part of the Great Silk Road began from here. From time immemorial, the city has given refuge to all oppositionists to state power and often became the center of unrest against the power of the Peking emperors.

1. Beijing | Area 16,801 km²

The largest city in the world by area is one of the most significant settlements in China. The total area of ​​the giant metropolis is 16,801 square kilometers. Almost 22 million people live in Beijing. The city harmoniously combines antiquity and modernity. It has been the residence of Chinese rulers for three millennia. Ancient monuments are carefully preserved in the very center of the metropolis, where everyone can admire them. Particularly interesting is the former residence of the emperors of China, the Forbidden City. This is the main attraction of the city, which is visited annually by more than 7 million tourists from all over the world.

Preserving ancient and medieval buildings and monuments, Beijing is developing as a modern high-tech metropolis.

What else to see:

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

No. 10. Wuhan (China) - 8,494 km²

Wuhan stands at the confluence of the Yangtze and Hanshui rivers. The territory of the Wuhan metropolis consists of 3 parts - Wuchang, Hankou and Hanyang, which together are referred to as the "Tri-city of Wuhan". 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 dates back 3,000 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 of the Democratic Republic of the 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 populated 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 population is about 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" of the country.

The city is famous for its architecture and a combination of Victorian and modern styles, parks and gardens. In 2016, The Economist named Melbourne the world's most livable city for the sixth time in a row.

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 there are also representatives of small nationalities. 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 is Australia's largest city with a population of 4,840,600. 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 in honor of Lord Sydney - Minister of the British Colonies.

The city is famous for its opera house, Harbor Bridge and beaches. Residential areas of greater Sydney are surrounded by national parks. The coastline is rich in bays, coves, beaches and islands.

Sydney is one of the most multicultural and multiethnic cities in the world. Sydney ranks first in Australia and 66th in the world for cost of living.

No. 5. Chengdu (China) - 12,390 km²

Chengdu is a city-sub-province 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 gold disc "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 economy, trade, finance, science and technology, as well as an important center of transport and communications. Chengdu has become the main center of China's new urbanization.

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

Brisbane is a city in the Australian state of Queensland. The population of the city is 2,274,560 people.
The city is located in the east of Australia, on the banks of the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay of the Pacific Ocean. Included in the top 100 global cities in the world.

Founded in 1825, the old name is Edenglassy. 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 country's main air hubs. Beijing is the political, educational and cultural center of the People's Republic of China.

Beijing is one of the four ancient capitals of China. In 2008, the Summer Olympic Games were held in Beijing. The city will host the Winter Olympics in 2022.
The population of the city is 21,705,000 people.

No. 2. Hangzhou (China) - 16,840 km²

Hangzhou is a sub-provincial 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 - Lin'an, in the pre-Mongolian era was the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty and was the most populated city of the then world. Now Hangzhou is famous for its tea plantations and natural beauty. The most famous place is Xihu Lake.

No. 1. Chongqing (China) - 82,400 km²

Chongqing is the largest of the four Chinese cities of central subordination in terms of area. 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 based on industry. Main industries: chemical, machine-building and metallurgical. Chongqing is also China's largest automobile manufacturing base. There are 5 car factories and more than 400 car parts factories here.

Moscow - 2561 km2
St. Petersburg - 1439 km2
Yekaterinburg - 468 km2
Kazan - 425 km2
Novosibirsk - 505 km2
Volgograd - 565 km2

The role of the city in the life of a modern person is growing: many people no longer see development prospects for themselves outside of it. Scientists call this phenomenon urbanization. What are the most populated cities in the world? In this article you will find a list of the largest cities in the world.

Urbanization and its current scale

Urbanization refers to the growing role of the city in society. The word urbanus is translated from Latin as "urban".

Modern urbanization can take place in three ways:

1. The transformation of villages and villages into small and medium-sized cities.
2. The outflow of population from villages to cities.
3. Formation of extensive suburban residential areas.

The world's most populated cities are often held hostage to their oversized size. Bad ecology, a huge amount of transport on the streets, a lack of green spaces and recreation areas, constant noise pollution - all this, of course, negatively affects the health (physical and mental) of a person, a resident of a metropolis.

The processes of urbanization, according to scientists, began around the middle of the 19th century. But then they were local, local in nature. They reached the global level a century later - in the 50s of the twentieth century. At this time, the urban population of the planet is growing rapidly, the largest megacities of our time are being formed.

If in 1950 the share of the urban population on the planet was only 30%, then in 2000 it had already reached 45%. Today, the level of global urbanization is about 57%.

The most urbanized countries on the planet are Luxembourg (100%), Belgium (98%), Great Britain (90%), Australia (88%) and Chile (88%).

The most populated cities in the world

In fact, it is quite difficult to determine the population of a large city. Firstly, researchers are not always able to obtain up-to-date and reliable statistical information (especially when it comes to megacities of third world countries - Asia, Africa or Latin America).

Secondly, the approaches to counting the number of city residents can be different. Thus, some demographers do not take into account people living in the suburban area, while others ignore temporary labor migrants. That is why it is very difficult to name exactly the most populated city in the world.

Another problem faced by demographers and statisticians is the problem of defining the boundaries of a metropolitan area. To solve it, a very interesting method has recently been invented. To do this, a picture of the settlement is taken from the air, in the evening. Then the boundaries of the city can be easily drawn along the edge of the distribution of urban lighting.

Top most populated cities in the world

In ancient times, Jericho was considered the largest (in terms of population) city on the planet. About 2 thousand people lived in it nine thousand years ago. Today, this is the number of inhabitants in a large village and a small European town.

The total number of inhabitants living in the ten most populated cities on the planet is almost 260 million people! In other words, this is 4% of the total population of the Earth.

1. Tokyo (Japan, 37.7 million people);
2. Jakarta (Indonesia, 29.9);
3. Chongqing (China, 29.0);
4. Delhi (India, 24.2);
5. Manila (Philippines, 22.8);
6. Shanghai (China, 22.6);
7. Karachi (Venezuela, 21.7);
8. New York (United States of America, 20.8);
9. Mexico City (Mexico, 20.5).

Six out of ten of these cities are located in Asia, with 2 in China. It is worth noting that the largest city in Europe, Moscow, would take only 17th place in this rating. About 16 million people live in the capital of the Russian Federation.

Tokyo, Japan)

The capital of Japan is by far the most populated city in the world, with a population of at least 37 million people. For comparison: this is the number of inhabitants in all of Poland!

Today Tokyo is not only the largest metropolis, but also the most important financial, industrial and cultural center of East Asia. The world's largest subway operates here: it transports at least 8 million passengers a day. Tokyo will amaze any traveler with a huge number of faceless, gray streets and alleys. Some of them don't even have their own names.

Surprisingly, the largest metropolis on the planet is located in a seismically unstable zone. About a hundred fluctuations of different intensity are recorded in Tokyo every year.

Chongqing (China)

Chinese Chongqing belongs to the absolute world championship among cities in terms of territory. It occupies the same area as the state of Austria in Europe - 82,000 square kilometers.

The metropolis has an almost perfect round shape: 470 by 460 kilometers. About 29 million Chinese live here. However, since a large number of them live in the suburban area, some extras sometimes do not include Chongqing in the lists of the most populated cities in the world.

In addition to its colossal size, the city also boasts an ancient history. After all, it is over 3,000 years old. Chongqing arose at the confluence of two Chinese rivers, surrounded by three picturesque hills.

New York, USA)

New York, although not the largest city in terms of population on the planet, but it can be considered the most popular world metropolis.

The city is often referred to as the Big Apple. Why? Everything is very simple: according to one of the legends, it was the apple tree that was the first to take root within the boundaries of the future metropolis.

New York is an important financial center of the world; about 700 thousand (!) different companies are located here. At least 6,000 subway cars and about 13,000 taxi cars serve the residents of the city every day. By the way, it is no coincidence that local taxis are painted yellow. The founder of a shipping company once did a special study trying to determine which color is the most pleasing to the human eye. It turned out that it was yellow.

Conclusion

An amazing fact: if you collect all the inhabitants of the 10 most populated cities in the world, you get a number that is almost twice the total population of Russia! In addition, these already huge metropolitan areas continue to grow.

The most populated cities in the world are Tokyo, Jakarta, Chongqing, Delhi and Seoul. All of them are located in Asia.

What does big city mean to you? A million inhabitants, two, maybe ten or even thirty? See the photo gallery of the 20 largest cities in the world by population.

In 20th place in terms of population is Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

Buenos Aires occupies 19th place, 14.3 million people live in the capital of Argentina.

18th place: Kolkata is the largest city in India with a population of 15.7 million.

17th place: Cairo - the capital of Egypt - the number of inhabitants is 17.3 million.

Beijing has 16.4 million inhabitants, placing the Chinese capital in 15th place in the ranking.

Los Angeles is in 13th place in terms of population with 17 million inhabitants.

The capital of the Philippines - Manila - is in 12th place among the largest cities in the world with 20.7 million inhabitants.

The Indian city of Bombay, which has a population of 20.8 million, is ranked 11th in the ranking.

9th place: the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, it is home to 21.1 million people.

7th place: Indian Delhi - 23 million inhabitants.

The 6th place in terms of population is occupied by the Mexican capital - Mexico City - 23.2 million inhabitants.

The 5th most populous city in the world is Shanghai. This largest Chinese city has 25.3 million inhabitants.

In 2nd place: Guangzhou is the largest Chinese city with 25.8 million people.

The largest city in the world by population is Tokyo. The capital of Japan is home to 34.5 million people. Tokyo is the undisputed leader in our ranking and will remain so for a long time to come.