The largest cities in the world

Which city covers the same area as Austria? Where do as many people live as in Taiwan? Where does Kyiv stand in the world ranking?
Metropolitan areas are growing at a rapid pace, swallowing up not only agricultural land but also small towns and villages. As a result, urban agglomerations are formed with a single center and satellite cities that are closely interconnected by production, culture, and transportation. Here is a ranking of the world’s largest cities by area and population.

Largest cities by area: Top 10

What is the largest city in the world?

The largest agglomeration in the world is New York City. Just imagine: together with its suburbs, it covers 12,093 km2, which is about twice the size of Los Angeles. This makes New York the largest city in the world by area.

Greater Boston, USA

The second place in the list of the 10 largest cities by area is occupied by another American agglomeration, which covers 9,538 km², which is approximately equal to the area of Cyprus. This is one of the oldest territories in the country developed by European immigrants, and Boston is its center.

Tokyo – Yokohama, Japan

The agglomeration stretches over an area of, 8230 km², which means that two countries could fit on its territory: Brunei and Mauritius.

Atlanta, USA

The area is, 7400 km², and Luxembourg would fit three times. The center of the agglomeration is the city of the same name. It is also the largest city in the state of Georgia.

Chicago, USA

It is the second most important financial center in the United States after New York. Together with its suburbs, it covers an area of, 7006 km².

• Los Angeles, USA: 6351 km² with suburbs.
• Moscow, Russia: 5891 km² with suburbs.
• Washington metropolitan area, USA: 5500 km².
• Philadelphia, USA: 5430 km² with suburbs.
• Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington agglomeration, USA: 5279 km².

Largest cities in the world by territory: top 10

The ranking does not take into account the continuity and density of development, and the area covers the entire territory, including natural objects located within the settlement.

Chongqing, China

It is the largest city in the world by area. Its area is 82,403 km², which is slightly smaller than Austria. However, the city itself covers 1,473 km² (1.79%), with the rest falling on suburban and rural areas. There are 373 people per 1 km².

Hangzhou, China

The capital of Zhejiang Province is spread over an area of 16,853.6 km², which is slightly smaller than Kuwait. It is an important cultural center of China, known for its tea, pagodas, and picturesque surroundings.

Beijing, China

The territory occupied by the capital of China could easily fit Montenegro and Mauritius – 16,411 km². The urban area occupies a smaller, but constantly growing part of Beijing.

Brisbane, Australia

The city has an area of 15,826 km2. It has long served as a center for the detention of British prisoners sentenced to exile. And now it ranks first in terms of population growth in Australia. It is home to more than 2 million people.

Al Ain, UAE

It is the fourth most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the fifth largest in the world. Its area is 15,100 km², and it is home to more than 760,000 people.

• Chengdu, China: 14,378 km².
• Sydney, Australia: 12,368 km².
• Tianjin, China: 11,760 km².
• Melbourne, Australia: 9992 km².
• Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: 9,965 km².

Largest cities by population: Top 10

What is the largest city in this category? It depends on what to consider – population or density. It is noteworthy that the largest cities in the world by area have quite a tolerable population density, and compared to the density of many Asian cities, rush hour in the Kyiv metro may seem like paradise.

Shanghai, China

The largest financial center of China and one of the world’s leading cities is home to 24.9 million people. This is slightly more than in Taiwan. Of these, about 10 million are immigrants from other cities in China, and it is the largest city in the world by population.

Beijing, China

The city is home to more than 21.9 million people, as in Sri Lanka. At the same time, the number of people over the age of 60 is about 4.3 million, and this figure continues to grow. The city is “aging”.

Istanbul, Turkey

The total population of Istanbul province is 15.5 million people, which is equal to the number of residents of Somalia. Every fifth resident of Turkey lives in this city.

Lagos, Nigeria

It is the largest city in the country and the second most populous in Africa. It is home to 15.3 million people, which is more than four times more than in Berlin, the largest city in Germany.

Tokyo, Japan

The Japanese capital has a population of 13.9 million people, which is slightly less than the population of Cambodia. At the same time, the Tokyo-Yokohama agglomeration not only ranks third in terms of area, but is also the largest in the world in terms of population. It is home to 39.1 million people, which is about the same as Afghanistan.

• Tianjin, China: 13.8 million people.
• Guangzhou, China: 13.6 million people.
• Mumbai, India: 12.7 million people.
• Moscow, Russia: 12.7 million people.
• São Paulo, Brazil: 12.4 million people.

Top 10 largest cities by population density

Manila, Philippines.

The country’s capital is the most densely populated city in the world. There are 41,515 people per 1 km², which is about four times more than in Istanbul.

Pateros, Philippines

It is part of the Metropolitan Region with Manila as its center and is the smallest in terms of area and population. But it ranks second in the world in terms of density. There are 63,643 people living on 1.8 km². The density is about 36,000 people per 1 km², which is four times higher than in Tehran.

Mandaluyong, Philippines

One of the smallest cities in the country has an area of 21.3 km², but 34,925 people live per 1 km². The population continues to grow.

Caloocan, Philippines

This city is also part of the Capital Region, and its population density is 29,774 people per 1 km².

Bnei Brak, Israel

The city closes the top five with 29,345 people per 1 km². Its area is only 7 km².

• Dhaka, Bangladesh: 29,069 people per 1 km².
• Port-au-Prince, Haiti: 27,395 people per 1 km².
• Makati, Philippines: 26,811 people per 1 km².
• Levallois-Perret, France: 26,713 people per 1 km².
• Vincennes, France: 26,121 people per 1 km².

Largest cities in Ukraine

Ukraine is a country with a rich cultural and historical heritage, consisting of many cities and towns. However, there are a few cities that can be considered true cultural and economic centers of the country. So, let’s take a look at the largest 5 cities in Ukraine.

1. Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine, which is the largest city in the country with a population of over 3 million. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe, with significant historical and cultural monuments. Among them are the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, St. Sophia Cathedral, Independence Square, and many others.
2. Kharkiv is the second-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of more than 1.4 million. It is the cultural and scientific center of the country, home to many universities, museums, theaters, and other cultural institutions.
3. Dnipro is the third-largest city in Ukraine, with over 1 million inhabitants. It is an important industrial center of the country, home to many plants, factories, and other industrial facilities. The city’s historical and cultural attractions include the Dnipro Embankment, the Museum of the History of the Cossacks, and many others.
4. Odesa is the fourth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of more than 1 million people. It is one of the country’s most important ports on the Black Sea coast, which drives the city’s economy and tourism. Known for its beaches, architecture and cultural events, Odesa is an significant cultural and tourist center in Ukraine.
5. Lviv is the fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of more than 700 thousand people. The city is famous for its history, culture, and architecture. Lviv’s city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is an important cultural and tourist destination in the country. Among the city’s cultural attractions are Lviv Market, Lviv Opera, and many others.

All these cities are important cultural, scientific and economic centers of Ukraine. They have a rich history, culture, and architecture that makes them famous all over the world. Each of these cities has its own unique features and charms, adding to the uniqueness and richness of Ukrainian culture.