# List of largest cities

This is a **list of the largest cities in the world by number of people**.

The number of people in a city can be counted in three ways:

* City proper: The area that is officially part of the city, according to the government.
* Urban area: An area of built-up land, with many roads, buildings, and infrastructure. It usually has many people close together, who do not work in farming. Rural land is the opposite: it has a small number of people and buildings. In this list, an urban area is an area of urban land that is continuous: it has no spaces in between that are rural.
* Metropolitan area: An urban area, and nearby areas where people frequently travel (commute) to the urban area. Some of these areas are suburbs and some can have a small number of people. This is according to the government, so it can mean different things in different countries.

## List

| City | Country | UN 2018 population estimates | City proper | Metropolitan area | Urban area |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Definition | Population | Area (km2) | Density (/km2) | Population | Area (km2) | Density (/km2) | Population | Area (km2) | Density (/km2) |
|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Tokyo |  Japan | 37,468,000 | Metropolis prefecture | 13,515,271 | 2,191 | 6,169  | 37,274,000 | 13,452 | 2,771  | 39,105,000 | 8,231 | 4,751  |
| Delhi |  India | 28,514,000 | Capital City | 16,753,235 | 1,484 | 11,289  | 29,000,000 | 3,483 | 8,326  | 31,870,000 | 2,233 | 14,272  |
| Shanghai |  China | 25,582,000 | Municipality | 24,870,895 | 6,341 | 3,922  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 22,118,000 | 4,069 | 5,436  |
| São Paulo |  Brazil | 21,650,000 | Municipality | 12,252,023 | 1,521 | 8,055  | 21,734,682 | 7,947 | 2,735  | 22,495,000 | 3,237 | 6,949  |
| Mexico City |  Mexico | 21,581,000 | City-state | 9,209,944 | 1,485 | 6,202  | 21,804,515 | 7,866 | 2,772  | 21,505,000 | 2,385 | 9,017 |
| Cairo |  Egypt | 20,076,000 | Urban governorate | 9,500,000 | 3,085 | 3,079  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 19,787,000 | 2,010 | 9,844 |
| Mumbai |  India | 19,980,000 | Municipality | 12,478,447 | 603 | 20,694  | 24,400,000 | 4,355 | 5,603  | 22,186,000 | 1,008 | 22,010  |
| Beijing |  China | 19,618,000 | Municipality | 21,893,095 | 16,411 | 1,334  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 19,437,000 | 4,172 | 4,659 |
| Dhaka |  Bangladesh | 19,578,000 | Capital city | 8,906,039 | 338 | 26,349  | 14,543,124  | —N/a | —N/a | 16,839,000 | 456 | 36,928 |
| Osaka |  Japan | 19,281,000 | Designated city | 2,725,006 | 225 | 12,111  | 19,303,000 | 13,228 | 1,459  | 15,490,000 | 3,020 | 5,129  |
| New York |  United States | 18,819,000 | City | 8,804,190 | 778 | 11,316  | 20,140,470 | 12,093 | 1,665  | 23,582,649 | 34,493 | 684  |
| Karachi |  Pakistan | 15,400,000 | Metropolitan city | 14,910,352 | 3,530 | 4,224  | 16,051,521 | 3,780 | 4,246  | 15,292,000 | 1,044 | 14,648  |
| Buenos Aires |  Argentina | 14,967,000 | Autonomous city | 3,054,300 | 203 | 15,046  | 12,806,866  | —N/a | —N/a | 16,216,000 | 3,222 | 5,033 |
| Chongqing |  China | 14,838,000 | Municipality | 32,054,159 | 82,403 | 389  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 8,261,000 | 1,536 | 5,378 |
| Istanbul |  Turkey | 14,751,000 | Metropolitan municipality | 15,519,267 | 5,196 | 2,987  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 15,311,000 | 1,375 | 11,135 |
| Kolkata |  India | 14,681,000 | Municipality | 4,496,694 | 205 | 21,935  | 14,035,959 | 1,851 | 7,583  | 18,698,000 | 1,352 | 13,830  |
| Manila |  Philippines | 13,482,000 | Capital city | 1,780,148 | 43 | 41,399  | 12,877,253 | 620 | 20,770  | 23,971,000 | 1,873 | 12,798  |
| Lagos |  Nigeria | 13,463,000 | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 21,000,000 | 1,171 | 17,933  | 15,487,000 | 1,966 | 7,877 |
| Rio de Janeiro |  Brazil | 13,293,000 | Municipality | 6,520,000 | 1,221 | 5,340  | 12,644,321 | 5,327 | 2,374  | 12,486,000 | 2,020 | 6,181 |
| Tianjin |  China | 13,215,000 | Municipality | 13,866,009 | 11,920 | 1,163  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 10,932,000 | 2,813 | 3,886 |
| Kinshasa |  DR Congo | 13,171,000 | City-province | 11,462,000 | 9,965 | 1,150  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 15,056,000 | 466 | 32,309 |
| Guangzhou |  China | 12,638,000 | City (sub-provincial) | 14,498,400 | 7,434 | 1,950  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 21,489,000 | 4,341 | 4,950  |
| Los Angeles |  United States | 12,458,000 | City | 3,990,456 | 1,214 | 3,287  | 13,291,486 | 12,559 | 1,058  | 15,477,000 | 6,351 | 2,437 |
| Moscow |  Russia | 12,410,000 | Federal city | 13,200,000 | 2,511 | 5,257  | 20,004,462  | —N/a | —N/a | 17,693,000 | 5,879 | 3,010 |
| Shenzhen |  China | 11,908,000 | City (sub-provincial) | 12,528,300 | 2,050 | 6,111  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 14,678,000 | 1,803 | 8,141 |
| Lahore |  Pakistan | 11,738,000 | Metropolitan city | 11,126,000 | 1,772 | 6,279  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 11,148,000 | 852 | 13,085 |
| Bangalore |  India | 11,440,000 | Municipality | 8,443,675 | 709 | 11,909  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 13,999,000 | 1,204 | 11,627 |
| Paris |  France | 10,901,000 | Commune | 2,148,271 | 105 | 20,460  | 12,244,807 | —N/a | —N/a | 11,027,000 | 2,844 | 3,877 |
| Bogotá |  Colombia | 10,574,000 | Capital District | 7,963,000 | 1,587 | 5,018  | 12,545,272 | 5,934 | 2,114  | 9,274,000 | 562 | 16,502 |
| Jakarta |  Indonesia | 10,517,000 | Special capital region | 10,154,134 | 664 | 15,292  | 33,430,285 | 7,063 | 4,733  | 35,362,000 | 3,541 | 9,986  |
| Chennai |  India | 10,456,000 | Municipality | 6,727,000 | 426 | 15,791  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 11,564,000 | 1,085 | 10,658 |
| Lima |  Peru | 10,391,000 | Metropolitan municipality | 8,894,000 | 2,672 | 3,329  | 9,569,468 | 2,819 | 3,395  | 8,992,000 | 891 | 10,092 |
| Bangkok |  Thailand | 10,156,000 | Special administrative area | 8,305,218 | 1,569 | 5,293  | 16,255,900 | 7,762 | 2,094  | 17,573,000 | 3,199 | 5,493  |
| Seoul |  South Korea | 9,963,000 | Special city | 10,013,781 | 605 | 16,208 | 25,514,000 | 11,704 | 2,180 | 22,394,000 | 2,769 | 8,087 |
| Nagoya |  Japan | 9,507,000 | Designated city | 2,320,361 | 326 | 7,118  | 9,363,000 | 7,271 | 1,288  | 9,522,000 | 3,704 | 2,571 |
| Hyderabad |  India | 9,482,000 | Municipality | 6,993,262 | 650 | 10,759  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 9,840,000 | 1,274 | 7,724 |
| London |  United Kingdom | 9,046,000 | Capital city | 8,825,001 | 1,572 | 5,614  | 14,372,596  | 8,382 | 1,715 | 11,120,000 | 1,738 | 6,398 |
| Tehran |  Iran | 8,896,000 | Capital city | 9,033,003 | 751 | 12,028  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 13,819,000 | 1,704 | 8,110 |
| Chicago |  United States | 8,864,000 | City | 2,746,388 | 589 | 4,663  | 9,618,502 | 18,640 | 516  | 9,013,000 | 7,006 | 1,286 |
| Chengdu |  China | 8,813,000 | City (sub-provincial) | 16,044,700 | 14,378 | 1,116  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 11,920,000 | 1,829 | 6,517 |
| Nanjing |  China | 8,245,000 | City (sub-provincial) | 7,260,000 | 6,582 | 1,103  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 7,729,000 | 1,614 | 4,789 |
| Wuhan |  China | 8,176,000 | City (sub-provincial) | 10,892,900 | 8,494 | 1,282  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 9,729,000 | 1,722 | 5,650 |
| Ho Chi Minh City |  Vietnam | 8,145,000 | Municipality | 7,431,000 | 2,061 | 3,606  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 13,954,000 | 1,637 | 8,524 |
| Luanda |  Angola | 7,774,000 | Municipality | 2,165,867 | 116 | 18,671  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 8,883,000 | 1,005 | 8,839 |
| Ahmedabad |  India | 7,681,000 | Municipality | 5,570,585 | 464 | 12,006  | 6,300,000  | —N/a | —N/a | 7,717,000 | 360 | 21,436 |
| Kuala Lumpur |  Malaysia | 7,564,000 | City | 1,768,000 | 243 | 7,276  | 7,200,000 | 2,793 | 2,578  | 8,639,000 | 2,163 | 3,994 |
| Xi'an |  China | 7,444,000 | City (sub-provincial) | 8,989,000 | 10,135 | 887  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 7,090,000 | 1,093 | 6,487 |
| Hong Kong |  China | 7,429,000 | Special administrative region | 7,298,600 | 1,104 | 6,611  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 7,398,000 | 290 | 25,510 |
| Dongguan |  China | 7,360,000 | Prefecture-level city | 8,342,500 | 2,465 | 3,384  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 8,142,000 | 1,759 | 4,629 |
| Hangzhou |  China | 7,236,000 | City (sub-provincial) | 9,468,000 | 16,596 | 570  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 6,713,000 | 1,445 | 4,646 |
| Foshan |  China | 7,236,000 | Prefecture-level city | 7,197,394 | 3,848 | 1,870  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a |
| Shenyang |  China | 6,921,000 | City (sub-provincial) | 8,294,000 | 12,980 | 639  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 7,208,000 | 1,515 | 4,758  |
| Riyadh |  Saudi Arabia | 6,907,000 | Municipality | 6,694,000 | 1,913 | 3,499  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 6,889,000 | 1,673 | 4,118 |
| Baghdad |  Iraq | 6,812,000 | Urban governorate | 8,126,755 | 5,200 | 1,563  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 6,107,000 | 694 | 8,800 |
| Santiago |  Chile | 6,680,000 | City (commune) | 236,453 | 22 | 10,748  | 7,112,808 | 15,403 | 462  | 7,026,000 | 1,147 | 6,126 |
| Surat |  India | 6,564,000 | Municipality | 4,466,826 | 327 | 13,660  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 4,875,000 | 238 | 20,483 |
| Madrid |  Spain | 6,497,000 | Municipality | 3,266,126 | 606 | 5,390  | 6,641,649 | —N/a | —N/a | 6,006,000 | 1,365 | 4,400 |
| Suzhou |  China | 6,339,000 | Prefecture-level city | 10,721,700 | 8,488 | 1,263  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 5,103,000 | 1,386 | 3,682 |
| Pune |  India | 6,276,000 | Municipality | 3,124,458 | 276 | 11,321  | 7,276,000 | 7,256 | 1,003  | 7,948,000 | 650 | 12,228 |
| Harbin |  China | 6,115,000 | City (sub-provincial) | 10,635,971 | 53,068 | 200  | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 4,583,000 | 671 | 6,830 |
| Houston |  United States | 6,115,000 | City | 2,325,502 | 1,553 | 1,497  | 6,997,384 | 21,395 | 327  | 6,529,000 | 4,931 | 1,324 |
| Dallas |  United States | 6,099,000 | City | 1,345,047 | 882 | 1,525  | 7,470,158 | 22,463 | 333  | 6,960,000 | 5,278 | 1,319  |
| Toronto |  Canada | 6,082,000 | City | 2,731,571 | 630 | 4,336  | 5,928,040 | 5,906 | 1,004  | 6,985,000 | 2,300 | 3,037 |
| Dar es Salaam |  Tanzania | 6,048,000 | City | 4,364,541 | 1,393 | 3,133 | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 7,461,000 | 961 | 7,764 |
| Miami |  United States | 6,036,000 | City | 470,914 | 93 | 5,069  | 6,158,824 | 15,890 | 388 | 6,212,000 | 3,313 | 1,875 |
| Belo Horizonte |  Brazil | 5,972,000 | City | 2,502,557 | 331 | 7,563 | 5,156,217 | 9,459 | 545 | 5,159,000 | 1,288 | 4,005 |
| Singapore |  Singapore | 5,792,000 | Country | 5,638,700 | 726 | 7,770 | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 5,271,000 | 1,287 | 4,096 |
| Philadelphia |  United States | 5,695,000 | Consolidated city-county | 1,526,006 | 370 | 4,129 | 6,096,120 | —N/a | —N/a | 5,697,000 | 5,429 | 1,049 |
| Atlanta |  United States | 5,572,000 | City | 420,003 | 354 | 1,186 | 5,949,951 | 21,690 | 274 | 5,434,000 | 7,400 | 734 |
| Fukuoka |  Japan | 5,551,000 | Designated city | 1,588,924 | 343 | 4,627 | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 2,280,000 | 505 | 4,515 |
| Khartoum |  Sudan | 5,534,000 | —N/a | 639,598 | 22,142 | 29 | 5,274,321 | —N/a | —N/a | 6,017,000 | 1,031 | 5,836 |
| Barcelona |  Spain | 5,494,000 | Municipality | 1,620,343 | 101 | 15,980  | 5,474,482  | —N/a | —N/a | 4,735,000 | 1,072 | 4,417 |
| Johannesburg |  South Africa | 5,486,000 | Metropolitan municipality | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 14,167,000 | 4,040 | 3,507 |
| Saint Petersburg |  Russia | 5,383,000 | Federal city | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 5,207,000 | 1,373 | 3,792 |
| Qingdao |  China | 5,381,000 | City (sub-provincial) | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 6,232,000 | 1,655 | 3,766 |
| Dalian |  China | 5,300,000 | City (sub-provincial) | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 3,994,000 | 987 | 4,047 |
| Washington metropolitan area |  United States | 5,207,000 | Federal district | 702,455 | 177 | 3,969  | 6,263,245 | 17,009 | 368  | 7,583,000 | 5,501 | 1,378  |
| Yangon |  Myanmar | 5,157,000 | City | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 6,497,000 | 603 | 10,774 |
| Alexandria |  Egypt | 5,086,000 | Urban governorate | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 4,857,000 | 293 | 16,577 |
| Jinan |  China | 5,052,000 | City (sub-provincial) | 8,700,000 | 10,244 | 849 | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | 4,381,000 | 798 | 5,490 |
| Guadalajara |  Mexico | 5,023,000 | Municipality | 1,385,621 | 151 | 9,176  | 5,286,642 | 3,560 | 1,485 | 5,437,000 | 313 | 17,371  |