Introduction
The word City (Polis in Greek) is related to Polemic, war, battle, and probably the prefix Poly "great".
It gave rise to the word Politeia — Citizenship and Freedom. To the Romans the word took on the meaning of "Political", even "Politeness" from Polish and refinement.
Click here for an associated page, a timeline of Large Populations (then and now)
Click here for World Alphabets basis of scripts below
Click here for World Leaders (and spouses)
Click here for World Epidemics
Click here for World Plumbing and Sanitation
Click here for the background article to this page
The first three cities Jericho, Uruk and Mari were originally pre-flood, and their dimensions were just one square kilometre (or less) surrounded by walls.
After the flood, Egypt (called Misr in Aramaic, Mizraim in Hebrew) city populations, Memphis (in Northern Egypt) and Thebes (in Southern Egypt) were about 60,000 each. They bore no relation to the Hebrew population which circa 1500BC under Moses increased to 600,000 plus women and children.
Regarding language, the Egyptian Hieratic script found in the pyramids (about 1000 characters) was a cursive writing system that evolved via Demotic, a shorthand system ca 700BC, into Coptic, a Greek-based alphabet of 31 phonetic characters about 100AD.
| Year | Name | Script | Population | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7000 BC | Jericho, in modern Israel | 2,000 | 15,000 | |
| 3500 BC | Uruk (Erech rebuilt by Nimrod), in modern Iraq. | Sumerian | 4,000 | Ruins |
| 2400 BC | Mari, in modern Syria | 50,000 | Ruins | |
| 2100 BC | Ur, in modern Iraq. Used Akkadian, a Semitic cuneiform script. | Akkadian 600 characters | 100,000 | Ruins |
| 1300 BC | Yinxu, in modern China | 120,000 | Ruins | |
| 700 BC | Babylon, 100 kms south of Baghdad in modern Iraq | Old Aramaic 22 characters | 100,000 | Ruins |
| 300 BC | Carthage, in modern Tunisia, North Africa | Punic 22 characters | 500,000 | 20,000 |
| Time of Christ | Rome, Italy | Latin 23 characters | 1,000,000 | 4 million |
| 600 AD | Constantinople (Istanbul), in modern Turkey | Greek 24 characters | 600,000 | 15 million |
| 900 AD | Baghdad, Iraq. Sacked by Mongols in 1258. With ongoing wars never reclaimed its earlier grandeur. Population growth in 20th Century 1900‑145t 1950‑580t 1960‑1m 1990‑4m 2010‑5½m | Arabic 28 characters | 900,000 | 7 million |
| 1100 | Kaifeng, China | *Chinese 214 radicals | 1,000,000 | 2 million |
| 1200 | Angkor, the "City of Temples" in modern Cambodia. Sacked and looted by Ayutthaya invaders in 1431 | Khmer 35 characters | 1,000,000 | Ruins |
| 1500 | Beijing, China | *Chinese 214 radicals | 1,000,000 | 22 million |
| 1700 | Ayutthaya, 64 kms north of Bangkok in modern Thailand | Thai 44 characters | 1,000,000 | 55,000 |
| 1810 | London, England | English 26 characters | 1,000,000 | 14 million |
| 1925 | New York, USA | English 26 characters | 8,000,000 | 20 million |
| 1968 | Tokyo, Japan Population refers to | **Japanese 46 letters 214 radicals | 20,000,000 | 37 million |
*Note that in Modern Chinese, the 214 radicals (pictures) are used to create many thousands of characters, say 8 thousand.
**Note that in Japanese, the 214 radicals (pictures) are similarly used to create thousands of characters, say 2 - 3 thousand. These are called Kanji (Chinese characters).
Japanese also has two additional alphabets (Hiragana and Katakana) that contain 46 letters each.
Metropolitan population of other large cities today
Below is a list of the largest 150 cities from http://www.citymayors.com /statistics /largest-cities-population-125.html sorted by City Population.
The research was carried out during 2017 and early 2018. For the population data, the researchers consulted numerous national and international sources and in cases of large statistical inconsistencies elected to publish cautious averages. The figures for city populations comprise the number of residents within the unified administrative areas of cities, while the data for metro populations include residents of urban areas that are socially, culturally and economically dependent on the core city.
Please note, there is no internationally agreed definition of metro areas. Readers and scholars are invited to inform of any discrepancies and/or provide missing facts and figures.
Click a column heading to resort alphabetically or numerically.
| World rank ↑ ↓ | City (caps denote capital cities) | Country | City population | Metro population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Shanghai | China |
24,153,000
|
34,000,000
|
|
2
|
BEIJING | China |
18,590,000
|
24,900,000
|
|
3
|
Karachi | Pakistan |
18,000,000
|
27,506,000
|
|
4
|
Istanbul | Turkey |
14,657,000
|
14,804,000
|
|
5
|
DHAKA | Bangladesh |
14,543,000
|
18,898,000
|
|
6
|
TOKYO | Japan |
13,617,000
|
37,800,000
|
|
7
|
MOSCOW | Russia |
13,197,596
|
17,900,000
|
|
8
|
MANILA | Philippines |
12,877,000
|
22,710,000
|
|
9
|
Tianjin | China |
12,784,000
|
15,469,000
|
|
10
|
Mumbai (Bombay) | India |
12,400,000
|
27,750,000
|
|
11
|
Sao Paulo | Brazil |
12,038,000
|
21,243,000
|
|
12
|
Shenzhen | China |
11,908,000
|
11,980,000
|
|
13
|
Guangzhou | China |
11,548,000
|
14,044,000
|
|
14
|
DELHI | India |
11,035,000
|
26,454,000
|
|
15
|
Wuhan | China |
10,608,000
|
10,608,000
|
|
16
|
Lahore | Pakistan |
10,355,000
|
10,355,000
|
|
17
|
SEOUL | South Korea |
10,290,000
|
25,600,000
|
|
18
|
Chengdu | China |
10,152,000
|
14,427,000
|
|
19
|
KINSHASA | Congo D.R. |
10,125,000
|
21,265,000
|
|
20
|
LIMA | Peru |
9,752,000
|
10,852,000
|
|
21
|
JAKARTA | Indonesia |
9,608,000
|
30,214,000
|
|
22
|
CAIRO | Egypt |
9,500,000
|
20,440,000
|
|
23
|
MEXICO CITY | Mexico |
8,919,000
|
20,400,000
|
|
24
|
TEHRAN | Iran |
8,847,000
|
15,233,000
|
|
25
|
BAGHDAD | Iraq |
8,765,000
|
8,765,000
|
|
26
|
Xian | China |
8,705,000
|
13,560,000
|
|
27
|
LONDON | UK |
8,674,000
|
13,880,000
|
|
28
|
New York City | USA |
8,550,000
|
23,724,000
|
|
29
|
Nanjing | China |
8,460,000
|
8,460,000
|
|
30
|
Bangalore | India |
8,444,000
|
8,729,000
|
|
31
|
Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam |
8,426,000
|
10,050,000
|
|
32
|
BANGKOK | Thailand |
8,281,000
|
14,566,000
|
|
33
|
Chongquin | China |
8,165,500
|
18,380,000
|
|
34
|
BOGOTA | Colombia |
8,081,000
|
9,800,000
|
|
35
|
Lagos | Nigeria |
8,048,000
|
16,060,000
|
|
36
|
RIYADH | Saudi Arabia |
7,506,000
|
7,506,000
|
|
37
|
Hong Kong | China |
7,234,800
|
7,234,800
|
|
38
|
Chennai | India |
7,088,000
|
8,653,000
|
|
39
|
Hangzhou | China |
7,082,000
|
9,188,000
|
|
40
|
Hyderabad | India |
6,809,000
|
7,749,000
|
|
41
|
Rio de Janeiro | Brazil |
6,454,000
|
12,281,000
|
|
42
|
Zhengzhou | China |
6,406,000
|
9,468,000
|
|
43
|
Shenyang | China |
6,255,000
|
8,106,000
|
|
44
|
Qingdao | China |
6,188,000
|
9,046,000
|
|
45
|
SANTIAGO | Chile |
6,158,000
|
6,582,000
|
|
46
|
Dalian | China |
5,900,000
|
6,700,000
|
|
47
|
SINGAPORE | Singapore |
5,607,000
|
5,607,000
|
|
48
|
Ahmadabad | India |
5,577,000
|
6,357,000
|
|
49
|
Suzhou | China |
5,468,000
|
10,578,000
|
|
50
|
St Petersburg | Russia |
5,323,000
|
7,500,000
|
|
51
|
Harbin | China |
5,282,000
|
6,704,000
|
|
52
|
ANKARA | Turkey |
5,271,000
|
6,280,000
|
|
53
|
KHARTOUM | Sudan |
5,185,000
|
5,185,000
|
|
54
|
Yangon | Myanmar (Burma) |
5,160,000
|
7,360,000
|
|
55
|
Casablanca | Morocco |
5,118,000
|
6,861,000
|
|
56
|
Sydney | Australia |
5,000,000
|
5,000,000
|
|
57
|
Jinan | China |
4,694,000
|
7,068,000
|
|
58
|
Melbourne | Australia |
5,000,000
|
5,000,000
|
|
59
|
Changsha | China |
4,597,000
|
7,432,000
|
|
60
|
Kolkata | India |
4,497,000
|
14,618,000
|
|
61
|
Fuzhou | China |
4,468,000
|
7,200,000
|
|
62
|
Surat | India |
4,467,000
|
4,591,000
|
|
63
|
Abidjan | Ivory Coast |
4,396,000
|
4,707,000
|
|
64
|
DAR ES SALAAM | Tanzania |
4,364,000
|
4,364,000
|
|
65
|
Shiziahuang | China |
4,303,000
|
10,701,000
|
|
66
|
Jeddah | Saudi Arabia |
4,276,000
|
4,276,000
|
|
67
|
Faisalabad | Pakistan |
4,075,000
|
4,075,000
|
|
68
|
Nanning | China |
4,037,000
|
6,914,000
|
|
69
|
Alexandria | Egypt |
4,028,000
|
4,984,000
|
|
70
|
AMMAN | Jordan |
4,008,000
|
4,008,000
|
|
71
|
Los Angeles | USA |
3,976,000
|
13,131,000
|
|
72
|
Kunming | China |
3,891,000
|
6,626,000
|
|
73
|
Changchun | China |
3,815,000
|
7,674,000
|
|
74
|
Yokohama | Japan |
3,733,000
|
3,733,000
|
|
75
|
KABUL | Afghanistan |
3,678,000
|
3,678,000
|
|
76
|
BERLIN | Germany |
3,671,000
|
6,004,000
|
|
77
|
Giza | Egypt |
3,628,000
|
3,628,000
|
|
78
|
Urumqi | China |
3,550,000
|
3,550,000
|
|
79
|
Wuxi | China |
3,542,000
|
6,372,000
|
|
80
|
Busan | South Korea |
3,526,000
|
8,202,000
|
|
81
|
Guayaquil | Ecuador |
3,500,000
|
5,000,000
|
|
82
|
HANOI | Vietnam |
3,435,000
|
7,588,000
|
|
83
|
Hyderabad | Pakistan |
3,429,000
|
3,429,000
|
|
84
|
ADDIS ABABA | Ethiopia |
3,385,000
|
4,567,000
|
|
85
|
ALGIERS | Algeria |
3,336,000
|
5,000,000
|
|
86
|
Kano | Nigeria |
3,333,000
|
3,333,000
|
|
87
|
Mashhad | Iran |
3,312,000
|
3,372,000
|
|
88
|
Hefei | China |
3,310,000
|
5,484,000
|
|
89
|
Changzhou | China |
3,290,000
|
4,592,000
|
|
90
|
Taiyuan | China |
3,212,000
|
4,202,000
|
|
91
|
Rawalpindi | Pakistan |
3,189,000
|
3,189,000
|
|
92
|
Tangshan | China |
3,187,000
|
7,577,000
|
|
93
|
MADRID | Spain |
3,141,000
|
6,240,000
|
|
94
|
NAIROBI | Kenya |
3,138,000
|
6,547,000
|
|
95
|
Zibo | China |
3,129,000
|
4,131,000
|
|
96
|
Pune | India |
3,124,000
|
5,057,000
|
|
97
|
Ibadan | Nigeria |
3,050,000
|
3,520,000
|
|
98
|
Jaipur | India |
3,046,000
|
3,046,000
|
|
99
|
Guiyang | China |
3,037,000
|
4,024,000
|
|
100
|
Incheon | South Korea |
3,002,000
|
3,002,000
|
|
101
|
BRASILIA | Brazil |
2,978,000
|
2,978,000
|
|
102
|
TSHWANE (PRETORIA) | South Africa |
2,922,000
|
2,922,000
|
|
103
|
Kanpur | India |
2,920,000
|
4,152,000
|
|
104
|
Salvador | Brazil |
2,913,000
|
3,920,000
|
|
105
|
BUENOS AIRES | Argentina |
2,900,000
|
12,740,000
|
|
106
|
KIEV | Ukraine |
2,900,000
|
3,375,000
|
|
107
|
ROME | Italy |
2,877,000
|
4,353,000
|
|
108
|
Surabaya | Indonesia |
2,865,000
|
6,485,000
|
|
109
|
Izmir | Turkey |
2,848,000
|
4,113,000
|
|
110
|
Lucknow | India |
2,817,000
|
2,902,000
|
|
111
|
Basrah | Iraq |
2,750,000
|
2,750,000
|
|
112
|
Toronto | Canada |
2,731,000
|
5,928,000
|
|
113
|
Gujranwala | Pakistan |
2,723,000
|
2,723,000
|
|
114
|
Chicago | USA |
2,720,000
|
9,513,000
|
|
115
|
TAIPEI | Taiwan |
2,705,000
|
8,500,000
|
|
116
|
QUITO | Ecuador |
2,671,000
|
4,700,000
|
|
117
|
Osaka | Japan |
2,668,000
|
19,342,000
|
|
118
|
Xuzhou | China |
2,623,000
|
3,054,000
|
|
119
|
Fortaleza | Brazil |
2,610,000
|
4,019,000
|
|
120
|
Chittagong | Bangladesh |
2,581,000
|
4,009,000
|
|
121
|
PYONGYANG | North Korea |
2,581,000
|
2,581,000
|
|
122
|
Bandung | Indonesia |
2,575,000
|
8,465,000
|
|
123
|
Kaohsiung | Taiwan |
2,540,000
|
2,779,000
|
|
124
|
YAOUNDE | Cameroon |
2,535,000
|
2,765,000
|
|
125
|
Daegu | South Korea |
2,522,000
|
5,020,000
|
|
126
|
Taichung | Taiwan |
2,520,000
|
2,752,000
|
|
127
|
Belo Horizonte | Brazil |
2,502,000
|
5,156,000
|
|
128
|
Puebla | Mexico |
2,500,000
|
2,929,000
|
|
129
|
Douala | Cameroon |
2,447,000
|
3,000,000
|
|
130
|
Medellin | Colombia |
2,441,000
|
3,731,000
|
|
131
|
Nagpur | India |
2,405,000
|
2,498,000
|
|
132
|
Cali | Colombia |
2,401,000
|
3,400,000
|
|
133
|
Omdurman | Sudan |
2,396,000
|
2,396,000
|
|
134
|
Nanchang | China |
2,357,000
|
5,043,000
|
|
135
|
Brisbane | Australia |
2,500,000
|
3,500,000
|
|
136
|
Bursa | Turkey |
2,340,000
|
2,842,000
|
|
137
|
TASHKENT | Uzbekistan |
2,310,000
|
2,310,000
|
|
138
|
Houston | USA |
2,296,000
|
6,313,000
|
|
139
|
Nagoya | Japan |
2,283,000
|
9,107,000
|
|
140
|
MOGADISHU | Somalia |
2,265,000
|
2,265,000
|
|
141
|
Isfahen | Iran |
2,243,000
|
3,793,000
|
|
142
|
PARIS | France |
2,230,000
|
12,405,000
|
|
143
|
ACCRA | Ghana |
2,227,000
|
4,000,000
|
|
144
|
MANAGUA | Nicaragua |
2,206,000
|
2,561,000
|
|
145
|
Kowloon | China |
2,204,000
|
2,204,000
|
|
146
|
Lanzhou | China |
2,177,000
|
3,616,000
|
|
147
|
Baku | Azerbaijan |
2,122,000
|
2,724,000
|
|
148
|
GUATAMALA CITY | Guatemala |
2,110,000
|
4,500,000
|
|
149
|
LUANDA | Angola |
2,108,000
|
2,825,000
|
|
150
|
BUCHAREST | Romania |
2,106,000
|
2,281,000
|
**End of Page