What is the largest city in the world by population?
With a population of 37,036,000 residents, Tokyo, Japan is the largest city in the world. That’s according to the estimates in the World Urbanisation Prospects 2018 published by the United Nations’ Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division for the year 2025. The data includes population estimates for urban agglomerations which refers to a densely populated area that includes a city and surrounding suburbs and towns, forming a metropolitan area.
Inclusive of Tokyo, four of the five most populous cities are located in Asia. The Asian cities include Delhi, India (34,666,000) ; Shanghai, China (30,482,000); and Dhaka, Bangladesh (24,653,000). Cairo, Egypt, with a population of 23,074,000 rounds out the top five.
The 20 biggest cities in the world
The 20 most populous cities have populations of at least 14.8 million residents. The two most populous countries have the most cities in the top 20 by population. China has five cities, and India has four. They are the only countries with more than one city on the list. Among inhabited continents, Europe and Australia are the only two without a single city in the top 20.
The largest city on each continent
The most populous cities across each continent serve as economic powerhouses, cultural hubs, and major centers of human activity. From the sprawling megacities of Asia to the bustling urban centers of the Americas and the rapidly growing cities of Africa, these metropolitan areas reflect the diversity and dynamism of their regions. Each city stands out not only for its large population but also for its unique contributions to global trade, politics, innovation, and culture.
The largest cities of each continent are:
Africa: Cairo, Egypt (23,074,000)
Asia: Tokyo, Japan (37,036,000)
Australia: Sydney, Australia (5,249,000)
Europe: Moscow, Russia (13,545,000)
North America: Mexico City (22,752,000)
South America: São Paulo (22,990,000)
How do Canadian cities compare against their global peers?
Canada’s place in the global urban landscape becomes clearer when we compare its cities to the most populous urban centres on each continent. While Canadian cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver are known for their quality of life, diversity, and economic strength, they are modest in size compared to global megacities. Toronto, the largest city in Canada, ranks 65th in the world.
Exploring the most populous cities on each continent helps put Canada’s urban growth into perspective and highlights how factors like geography, population density, and regional development influence city size and function around the world.
Data referenced in this article comes from United Nations World Urbanisation Prospects 2018 File 12: Population of Urban Agglomerations with 300,000 Inhabitants or More in 2018, by country, 1950-2035 (thousands).
