or the largest cities in the world by area they occupy in square kilometers

What is a city?

The encyclopedic dictionary gives the following interpretation: « City- a settlement whose residents are usually employed outside of agriculture. The classification of a settlement as a “city” is formalized by law; At the same time, the criterion for the city's population varies - from 200 people in Iceland before 30 thousand people in Japan......In Russia, a city must have at least 12 thousand inhabitants and at least 85% of the population employed outside agriculture".

Moreover, from the general rules there are always exceptions, in particular in Russia until now smallest in population and wherein with city status is a new city Innopolis, with a population at the time of receiving city status in 2012 of only 10 people, and as of January 1, 2016 with a population of 96 people.

What territory is included in the concept of “largest city”?

The main sources of data on the size of urban areas are statistical authorities, and for statistical purposes, each city is primarily an administrative unit (municipal entity).

In other words - territory controlled by the city administration and is called a city or urban district.

This is where situations arise when in 1st place among largest cities in the world by territory is a Chinese city Chongqing, in which most of the territory is agricultural land, around the former city border. In this case, the expansion of the administrative boundaries of the city is associated with the desire of the administration to urbanize rural areas, increasing population density.



Chongqing (China). Largest city in the world by area

Therefore, in the list of the largest cities in terms of the area occupied by the territory one can find very small cities with a population of 20,000 - 30,000 people, and at the same time the territory occupied by them is comparable to multimillion-dollar cities- the only difference is that in cities with a population of millions there is a high population density over the entire or most of the city’s territory, and in cities with a small population, this is usually the area around the main building with a low population density.

What is included in the city territory. Examples.

The largest cities in the world by area in square kilometers may include within their administrative boundaries, in addition to land territory, Also water area. This is most typical for cities on the water, in particular in the American New York, where the water area is more than 35% of the total area of ​​the city.



New York (USA). More than 35% of the city's territory is water

Also a frequent option for large cities, but with a small population, are cities with one main source of income (mining coal, ore and other minerals), when a relatively large mining area, where few people live, is included in administrative boundaries of the city.

A similar example is mountain ranges, territories of nature reserves, natural parks adjacent to the territory of the city, as well as cities in which residents live mainly in private houses and, accordingly, have a low population density, typical for cities Australia.



Brisbane (Australia). Most of the residents of this city of 2 million live in private houses

There are 251 countries located in the most beautiful corners of our planet. About 2.5 million cities, large and small, provincial and developed, touristic and unknown, have been living their full lives for many centuries and even millennia. Each city is unique and interesting in its own way, but today we want to introduce you to the largest cities on our planet.

We will begin our story with the largest cities by area, and, of course, we will mention the megacities with the largest population in the world.

Chongqing (China) CITY AREA: 82,400 km²

Chongqing is a city in China that covers an area of ​​82,400 km². It is not only the largest and most populous, but also the most ancient city in China. Life in Chongqing has been in full swing for about 3 thousand years. The city is home to almost 40 million people, but there are much fewer registered residents. The metropolis combines the historical value of ancient architecture with the latest technologies. This is one of the largest industrial centers in China, there are 5 automobile factories here, which is why the city’s environment suffers greatly and the air is polluted. If you want to see the ancient city, then you need to hurry, because in a couple of years it may not exist. Old neighborhoods are disappearing every year, being replaced by new buildings.

Hangzhou (China) CITY AREA: 16,840 KM²

Due to the warm and humid climate, the city is simply surrounded by greenery and flowers all year round. The city of Hangzhou has existed for 2 thousand years. It was from this city that the maritime silk road began for many years. Also, for a very long time, Hangzhou was the only seaport in China. These days, this metropolis specializes in light industry. Here you can also buy handmade souvenirs. The main attraction of the city is the Chen Family Ancestral Temple - Chenjiatsi. This amazing monument of Chinese architecture of the nineteenth century. It was built in 1890 during the reign of the Qing Dynasty. Walking through the ancient complex of buildings, you can enjoy Chinese art and architecture. Believe me, there will be something to see here. Hangzhou is also home to the Huaisheng Mosque, one of the oldest in China.

Beijing (China) CITY AREA: 16,410 KM²

Beijing is the capital of China, which is slightly inferior to Hangzhou in terms of territory it occupies. Beijing ranks third in terms of population living in the city (21.5 million people). It is noteworthy that this city is the largest cultural and technologically developed center of the country. Despite the rapid development of the construction industry, a large number of ancient architectural monuments have been preserved in Beijing. The Forbidden City, the most famous palace complex in China, is most popular among tourists. It was the Chinese capital that had the honor of hosting the Summer Olympic Games in 2008. Yes, and the Winter Olympic Games were not the issue. They will be held in Beijing in 2022.

Kinshasa (Congo) CITY AREA: 9,965 km²

Kinshasa is the capital of the Republic of Congo. This is one of the African cities where almost 60% of the city's territory is sparsely populated rural areas. Kinshasa is a city of contrasts, where abject poverty coexists with the luxury of fashionable areas. Kinshasa is not the safest city for tourists, but if you still decide to visit it, you will be interested in taking a look at the Catholic Cathedral of Notre Dame. Of course, it cannot compare with the Paris Cathedral, but it is the best that this city can offer you. This is where the architectural attractions of Kinshasa end, but there are a lot of natural attractions in Kinshasa, including Livingston Falls, numerous wildlife parks and the Congo River itself.

Brisbane (Australia) CITY AREA: 5,950 km²

The picturesque city of Brisbane is the capital of one of the most prosperous states of Australia - Queensland. This city is considered one of the most important cities in Australia. Brisbane is home to the country's third most important airport. Brisbane is a very warm and cozy city, summer here lasts almost all year round, and many fragrant parks and golden beaches attract tourists from all over the continent. Nature lovers will certainly be interested in visiting Fraser Park or strolling through the evergreen forests of Lamington National Park. Both of these sites are under UNESCO protection.

Istanbul (Türkiye) CITY AREA: 5,461 km²

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, located on the banks of the Bosphorus. This luxurious city is located simultaneously on two continents - Europe and Asia. Istanbul amazes with its wealth and grandeur. Every year up to 10 million tourists come here to see all the beauty with their own eyes. There are so many attractions in Istanbul that it is simply impossible to see them in one day. The undoubted decoration of this city is the mosques, the luxury of which will not leave anyone indifferent. St. Sophia Cathedral, Blue Mosque, luxurious Dolmabahce Palace, Sultan's Topkapi Palace, Museum of Palace Mosaics and this is not the whole list of what you must see in Istanbul.

Anchorage (USA, Alaska) CITY AREA: 5,099 km²

Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska. But he appeared completely by accident. In 1914, the territory on which the city stands was chosen for the construction of a railway, and this determined its fate. Anchorage has one of the busiest airports in the world in terms of cargo traffic - Ted Stevens International Airport. Due to a major earthquake in 1964, there are almost no architectural sights left in the city, but in these places the nature is simply magical and if you go to Kunai Island, you can go fishing and admire the mountain scenery. The city has several museums, a zoo and the Lake Hood Sea Airport, but tourists still prefer the wild nature of Alaska.

The largest cities in the world are divided into two categories - by area and by population. We introduced you to the first category, and now it’s the turn to tell you about the cities with the largest population.

Shanghai (China) POPULATION: 24,150,000


Shanghai is the largest city in China and the world in terms of population, the number of which is growing every year. As of 2016, approximately 24,256,800 people live in Shanghai. This fastest growing city in China is the heart of the country's trading industry and a leader in cargo transportation. Eastern Paris is what tourists call Shanghai for its hospitality and comfort; its streets amaze with the abundance of all kinds of shops, cafes and restaurants. Of the many attractions in Shanghai, you must see the Jade Buddha Temple, stroll through the Garden of Joy, visit the Shanghai TV Tower, walk along Nanjing Street and climb Mount Sheshan (She).

Karachi (Pakistan) POPULATION: 23,500,000

Karachi is one of the largest cities in the world in terms of population. This city of 3,527 km² is home to almost 23 million inhabitants. The city is also the main economic center and seaport of Pakistan. The port of Karachi is home to one of the city's main attractions - a fountain that produces one of the highest jets of water in the world at 189 m. The city has a great variety of both cultural and historical attractions. The National Museum of Pakistan will surprise you with its color and traditions, the old city and the Kharadar quarter will envelop you in their tranquility, and if you want to touch religion, be sure to visit the Mausoleum of Quaidi Azam, the tomb of Abdullah Shah Ghazi and the tomb of Chaukondi.

Dhaka (Bangladesh) POPULATION: 16,600,000

Sunny Dhaka is the capital of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and one of the largest Asian cities in terms of population. How could it be otherwise if this beautiful city accommodates 16.6 million people. This exotic Asian city is a center for water tourism, as it itself is located on the banks of a large river called Burigangi. The most famous and popular attraction of the city is Dakeshwari - a Hindu temple that attracts fans of Hinduism from all over the world.

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

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


Buenos Aires ranks 19th, with 14.3 million people living in the capital of Argentina.


18th: 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 is home to 16.4 million residents, placing the Chinese capital in 15th place in the ranking.



Los Angeles is the 13th most populous city with 17 million residents.


The capital of the Philippines, Manila, is the 12th largest city in the world with 20.7 million inhabitants.


The Indian city of Bombay, home to 20.8 million people, ranks 11th in the ranking.



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



7th place: Indian Delhi - 23 million inhabitants.


The Mexican capital, Mexico City, ranks 6th in terms of population with 23.2 million inhabitants.


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




In 2nd place: Guangzhou is the largest Chinese city, home to 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.

The size of a city is determined by its population. This is why there are many cities that are large in size 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 largest city in the world. Tokyo has grown quite a lot from its very humble beginnings in both economy and population. The population is over 37 million people.

2. Jakarta, Indonesia - 26 million people

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

3. Seoul, South Korea - 22.5 million people

It is not surprising that Seoul has been growing rapidly recently, 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.

K:Wikipedia:Pages on KU (type: not specified)

List of cities in the world by population with a population of more than 4 million people as of January 2015. There are 3 cities with a population of more than 20 million people and 16 cities with a population of more than 10 million people. The largest cities are Shanghai (24,150,000 people), Karachi (23,500,000) and Beijing (21,150,000). Among the largest cities there are two Russian ones: Moscow (10th place) and St. Petersburg (43rd place). The table shows the population of cities excluding suburbs.

Cities by population

# City Population (persons) City area (km 2) Population density (persons/km 2) A country
1 Shanghai 24,150,000 (with rural suburbs) 6 340,50 3 809 PRC PRC
2 Karachi 23 500 000 3 527,00 6 663 Pakistan Pakistan
3 Beijing 21,516,000 (with rural suburbs) 16 410,54 1 311 PRC PRC
4 Delhi 16 314 838 1 484,00 7 846 India India
5 Lagos 15 118 780 999,58 17 068 Nigeria Nigeria
6 Istanbul 13 854 740 5 461,00 6 467 Turkey Turkey
7 Guangzhou 13 080 500 3 843,43 3 305 PRC PRC
8 Mumbai 12 478 447 603,40 20 680 India India
9 Tokyo 13 370 198 622,99 14 562 Japan Japan
10 Moscow 12 197 596 2 561,50 4 814 Russia, Russia
11 Dhaka 12 043 977 815,80 14 763 Bangladesh Bangladesh
12 Cairo 11 922 949 3 085,10 3 864 Egypt Egypt
13 Sao Paulo 11 895 893 1 521,11 7 762 Brazil Brazil
14 Lahore 11 318 745 1 772,00 3 566 Pakistan Pakistan
15 Shenzhen 10 467 400 1 991,64 5 255 PRC PRC
16 Seoul 10 388 055 605,21 17 164 The Republic of Korea The Republic of Korea
17 Jakarta 9 988 329 664,12 15 040 Indonesia Indonesia
18 Kinshasa 9 735 000 1 117,62 8 710 Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo
19 Tianjin 9 341 844 4 037,00 2 314 PRC PRC
20 Mexico City 8 874 724 1 485,49 5 974 Mexico Mexico
21 Lima 8 693 387 2 672,30 3 253 Peru Peru
22 Bangalore 8 425 970 709,50 11 876 India India
23 London 8 416 535 1 572,15 5 354 UK UK
24 NY 8 405 837 783,84 10 724 USA USA
25 Bangkok 8 280 925 1 568,74 5 280 Thailand Thailand
26 Dongguan 8 220 207 2 469,40 3 329 PRC PRC
27 Tehran 8 154 051 686,00 11 886 Iran Iran
28 Ahmedabad 8 029 975 475,00 11 727 India India
29 Bogota 7 776 845 859,11 9 052 Colombia Colombia
30 Ho Chi Minh City 7 681 700 2 095,60 3 667 Vietnam Vietnam
31 Hong Kong 7 219 700 1 104,43 6 537 PRC PRC
32 Baghdad 7 180 889 4 555,00 1 577 Iraq Iraq
33 Wuhan 6 886 253 1 327,61 5 187 PRC PRC
34 Hyderabad 6 809 970 621,48 10 958 India India
35 Hanoi 6 844 100 3 323,60 2 059 Vietnam Vietnam
36 Luanda 6 542 944 2 257,00 2 899 Angola Angola
37 Rio de Janeiro 6 429 923 1 200,27 5 357 Brazil Brazil
38 Foshan 6 151 622 2 034,62 3 023 PRC PRC
39 Santiago 5 743 719 1 249,90 4 595 Chile Chile
40 Riyadh 5 676 621 1 233,98 4 600 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia
41 Singapore 5 399 200 712,40 7 579 Singapore Singapore
42 Shantou 5 391 028 2 064,42 2 611 PRC PRC
43 Saint Petersburg 5 225 690 1 439,00 3 631 Russia, Russia
44 Pune 5 049 968 450,69 6 913 India India
45 Ankara 5 045 083 1 910,92 2 282 Turkey Turkey
46 Chennai 4 792 949 426,51 21 057 India India
47 Abidjan 4 765 000 2 119,00 2 249 Cote d'Ivoire Cote d'Ivoire
48 Chengdu 4 741 929 421,00 11 260 PRC PRC
49 Yangon 4 714 000 598,75 7 873 Myanmar Myanmar
50 Alexandria 4 616 625 2 300,00 2 007 Egypt Egypt
51 Chongqing 4 513 137 1 435,07 3 145 PRC PRC
52 Calcutta 4 486 679 200,70 24 252 India India
53 Xi'an 4 467 837 832,17 5 388 China

Links

  • . geogoroda.ru. Retrieved July 14, 2016.

An excerpt characterizing the List of cities in the world by population

Napoleon enters Moscow after a brilliant victory de la Moskowa; there can be no doubt about victory, since the battlefield remains with the French. The Russians retreat and give up the capital. Moscow, filled with provisions, weapons, shells and untold riches, is in the hands of Napoleon. The Russian army, twice as weak as the French, did not make a single attack attempt for a month. Napoleon's position is most brilliant. In order to fall with double forces on the remnants of the Russian army and destroy it, in order to negotiate an advantageous peace or, in case of refusal, to make a threatening move towards St. Petersburg, in order to even, in case of failure, return to Smolensk or Vilna , or stay in Moscow - in order, in a word, to maintain the brilliant position in which the French army was at that time, it would seem that no special genius is needed. To do this, it was necessary to do the simplest and easiest thing: to prevent the troops from looting, to prepare winter clothes, which would be enough in Moscow for the entire army, and to properly collect the provisions that were in Moscow for more than six months (according to French historians) for the entire army. Napoleon, this most brilliant of geniuses and who had the power to control the army, as historians say, did nothing of this.
Not only did he not do any of this, but, on the contrary, he used his power to choose from all the paths of activity that were presented to him that which was the stupidest and most destructive of all. Of all the things that Napoleon could do: winter in Moscow, go to St. Petersburg, go to Nizhny Novgorod, go back, north or south, the way that Kutuzov later went - well, whatever he could come up with, was stupider and more destructive than what he did Napoleon, that is, to remain in Moscow until October, leaving the troops to plunder the city, then, hesitating, to leave or not to leave the garrison, to leave Moscow, to approach Kutuzov, not to start a battle, to go to the right, to reach Maly Yaroslavets, again without experiencing the chance of breaking through , to go not along the road that Kutuzov took, but to go back to Mozhaisk and along the devastated Smolensk road - nothing more stupid than this, nothing more destructive for the army could be imagined, as the consequences showed. Let the most skillful strategists come up with, imagining that Napoleon’s goal was to destroy his army, come up with another series of actions that would, with the same certainty and independence from everything that the Russian troops did, would destroy the entire French army, like what Napoleon did.
The genius Napoleon did it. But to say that Napoleon destroyed his army because he wanted it, or because he was very stupid, would be just as unfair as to say that Napoleon brought his troops to Moscow because he wanted it, and because that he was very smart and brilliant.
In both cases, his personal activity, which had no more power than the personal activity of each soldier, only coincided with the laws according to which the phenomenon took place.
It is completely false (only because the consequences did not justify Napoleon’s activities) that historians present to us Napoleon’s forces as weakened in Moscow. He, just as before and after, in the 13th year, used all his skill and strength to do the best for himself and his army. Napoleon's activities during this time were no less amazing than in Egypt, Italy, Austria and Prussia. We do not know truly the extent to which Napoleon’s genius was real in Egypt, where forty centuries they looked at his greatness, because all these great exploits were described to us only by the French. We cannot correctly judge his genius in Austria and Prussia, since information about his activities there must be drawn from French and German sources; and the incomprehensible surrender of corps without battles and fortresses without siege should incline the Germans to recognize genius as the only explanation for the war that was waged in Germany. But, thank God, there is no reason for us to recognize his genius in order to hide our shame. We paid for the right to look at the matter simply and directly, and we will not give up this right.
His work in Moscow is as amazing and ingenious as everywhere else. Orders after orders and plans after plans emanate from him from the time he entered Moscow until he left it. The absence of residents and deputations and the very fire of Moscow do not bother him. He does not lose sight of the welfare of his army, nor the actions of the enemy, nor the welfare of the peoples of Russia, nor the administration of the valleys of Paris, nor diplomatic considerations about the upcoming conditions of peace.

In military terms, immediately upon entering Moscow, Napoleon strictly orders General Sebastiani to monitor the movements of the Russian army, sends corps along different roads and orders Murat to find Kutuzov. Then he diligently gives orders to strengthen the Kremlin; then he makes an ingenious plan for a future campaign across the entire map of Russia. In terms of diplomacy, Napoleon calls to himself the robbed and ragged captain Yakovlev, who does not know how to get out of Moscow, sets out to him in detail all his policies and his generosity and, writing a letter to Emperor Alexander, in which he considers it his duty to inform his friend and brother that Rastopchin made bad decisions in Moscow, he sends Yakovlev to St. Petersburg. Having outlined his views and generosity in the same detail to Tutolmin, he sends this old man to St. Petersburg for negotiations.