The 8 Largest Cities in the World
Geographically, Tokyo and Los Angeles are both large cities; both can easily reqire an hour to drive from one end to the other. But when one refers to a “large city”, more often then not they are referring to a cities population, not its geographic size. With that in mind, what we have below is a list of the largest cities in the world. And bear in mind, these are “proper cities”, “metropolitan areas” don’t count. But even with that stipulation, they’re still all unquestionably enormous.
Mumbai, India
photo credit:
Quite simply, the largest city in the world. Mumbai is arguably better known by its original name, “Bombay”. The city is the commercial and entertainment center of India. It houses numerous corporate headquarters, India’s main stock exchanges, and it is also the hub of India’s Film and Television industry (also known as “Bollywood”). The population density of the city is estimated at 22,000 people per square kilometer. Unfortunately, roughly 60% of the population lives in slums. Total Population: 13,922,125
Shanghai, China
photo credit: Marc van der Chijs
The largest city in China, second largest in the world, Shanghai is also the largest cargo port in the world. Located at the mouth of the Yangtze river, Shanghai has existed as a market town for almost a thousand years. Although not necessarily the most politically important city in China, its significance as an economic power-house for the Chinese government can not be understated. Today, it is China’s largest center of finance and culture. It is also a popular tourist destination for those wishing to vacation in the east. Total Population: 13,831,900
Karachi, Pakistan
photo credit: Muhammad Adnan Asim ( linkadnan ) # 1
By far, this is the most prominent city in Pakistan as well as its financial capital. The city is home to Pakistan’s largest corporations and also its main seaport. Suffice to say, it is the largest city in the country. The area has a history going all the way back beyond Alexander the Great, who is said to have camped here. The present day city as we know it began as a fishing settlement that grew into a village. That village became a trading hub and has grown ever since. Total Population: 12,991,000
Delhi, India
Not to be confused with “New Delhi”, the capital of India, which lies to the south, Delhi the “old city” has been a site of human habitation for up to 3000 years. Throughout the millenniums, the area has found itself under many different rulers and gone by many different names. Today, the city is a prominent metropolis. Migration has been the primary reason for its astounding growth, and it is still growing today. Total Population: 12,259,230
Istanbul, Turkey
photo credit: John Picken
Few cities on Earth could claim to contain as much history as Istanbul. This becomes evident when one takes into account Istanbul’s former name, Constantinople. When people discuss “The Fall of the Roman Empire” what they most often mean is the fall of the western half of the empire. The eastern half, renamed the Byzantine Empire, survived until 1453. Its capital? Constantinople. The city was finally overthrown by the Turks in 1453, renamed Istanbul, and made capital of the Ottoman empire. Today, it is as bustling city that straddles the border between Europe and Asia. Total Population: 11,372,613
Sao Paulo, Brazil
photo credit: Silvio Tanaka
Quite simply, this is the highest populated city in the entire southern hemisphere. Sao Paulo became an official city in 1711 and flourished under to the coffee trade as an exporter. When coffee prices plummeted around the turn of the 20th century, the city would find itself in an economic bind. With imports hampered due to World War II, Sao Paulo finally began a strong push towards industrialization. Today the city thrives with an economy based mostly on service industries. Total Population: 11,037,593
Moscow, Russia
photo credit: Bernt Rostad
Named after the river where it is found, Moscow, the capital of Russia, has a history of surviving, even after it has fallen. In fact, one might even say that Moscow is one of the most resilient cities on Earth. The earliest references to Moscow date back to the middle ages. For the next few hundred years, the city would fight numerous battles against the Tartars and even be burnt to the ground, only to rise again. Although the city was a “capital” throughout much of this time, from 1712 to 1917 the capital of Russia moved to St. Petersburg. In the 20th century, it would again prove its resilience against the Nazis. Today it is a bustling, modern metropolis. Total Population: 10,508,971
Seoul, Korea
Originally established as a settlement in 18 BC, Seoul became a capital early in the Joseon Dynasty, which began in 1392. In the 20th century, the city was almost entirely destroyed in the Korean War, but the city was rapidly rebuilt during the aftermath. Today, the city boasts one of the most technologically advanced infrastructures anywhere. The city’s broadband internet penetration is the highest in the world. The network is also 100Mbps in speed, and scheduled for an upgrade to 1Gbps by 2012. Suffice to say, this is substantially faster than most of the world, including the United States. Total Population: 10,456,034
It may surprise some that not a single city in the United States, or even Europe (with the exception of transcontinental Turkey) made it onto the list. The largest would have been New York City, ranking in at #13. That said, one could argue this is only due to a technicality. The western world tends to keep its “cities proper” within rather tight borders. Were this a list of “metropolitan areas” based on population, New York City would be fourth, above Mumbai itself, with Tokyo, Seoul, and Mexico City taking first, second, and third respectively. All of this complexity arises from one central problem, “How does one define a city?”
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