The largest cities in the world by area: rating, list, description and features. What is the largest city in the world and where is it located? Area of Tokyo in sq km

Studying cities should be called an interesting activity. Each of them has its own story. Besides, they are all so different: resort areas, industrial giants, provincial small towns, and so on. However, among them there are also the largest cities on the planet.

Beijing is considered the largest city by area. He is also one of the most significant settlements China. The giant metropolis has a total area of 16,801 square kilometers. About 22 million people live in the city. Despite this, Beijing harmoniously combines modernity and antiquity. For three thousand years it was the residence of Chinese rulers. And today you can see ancient monuments in the city center that have been carefully preserved. The most interesting place You can call the former residence of the emperors of China - the Forbidden City.

Another Chinese metropolis is in our top. Its area is 7434.4 square kilometers. So he is rightfully in second place. The political, industrial and cultural center of the southern regions of China is very popular. Approximately 21 million people live here. Guangzhou is ready to boast of a thousand-year history. In Europe, a little earlier, the city was known as Canton. It was from here that the maritime part of the Great Silk Road started. Since ancient times, the city has provided refuge to all those who opposed state power.

The well-known city occupies third position in the list of largest cities. Its area is 6340 square kilometers. About 24 million people live in Shanghai. Shanghai is considered to be one of the most unusual cities in China. In other words, it reflects a modern country - forward-looking, energetic and fast-growing. Shanghai is still one of the largest shopping centers in the world.

The fourth level of the ranking was given to the world's largest metropolis, Brasilia. The city's territory occupies 5802 square kilometers. But as for the status of the capital of the Republic of Brazil, the city received it relatively recently - in 1960. The construction of the metropolis was planned with such a plan in order to attract people to sparsely populated areas, and then develop them. Therefore, Brasilia is located far from the main political and economic centers of the country.

Center of industry and trade, as well as main port Turkey - Istanbul. Its area is 5343 square kilometers. That's why he is in 5th place in the ranking. Istanbul is located in a picturesque location - on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait. It should be called a unique city, which at one time was the capital of 4 great empires and was located simultaneously in Europe and Asia. In the city, tourists will see a bunch of wonderful ancient monuments: the majestic Blue Mosque, the thousand-year-old St. Sophia Cathedral, the luxurious Dolmabahce Palace. The metropolis will amaze you with an abundance of different museums.

Unfortunately, the capital of Russia ranks only 6th in the ranking of the largest cities. It is considered the second largest city in Europe after Istanbul. The area of Moscow is 4662 square kilometers. It is not only a financial and political center, but also a cultural one. Many tourists come here every year.

The port city in Pakistan has an area of 3530 square kilometers. It is also the first capital of the country and the main financial, industrial and shopping mall. Karachi was a small fishing village in the early 18th century. And when it was captured by British troops, the village quickly became a major port city. From that moment on, he returned and played an increasingly important role in the country's economy. Due to the influx of emigrants in modern times, overcrowding in Karachi has become the biggest problem.

Tokyo, not surprisingly, is in 8th place in the ranking. Its territory is 2189 square kilometers. The capital of Japan has always been the most important cultural, political and economic center. The Land of the Rising Sun has always been proud of its metropolis. The city is very beautiful. Antiquity and modernity are closely intertwined. Close to ultra-modern and high-rise buildings you can see tiny houses on narrow streets. It looks like they came straight out of an engraving. Despite a major earthquake in 1923 and damage from World War II, Tokyo remains fascinating.

The area of Sydney is 2037 square kilometers. In many rankings the city occupies a leading position as the largest metropolis. And all due to the fact that the Australian Bureau of Statistics includes the nearest National parks and the Blue Mountains.

The leading financial, economic and political center closes our ranking. London's area is 1,580 square kilometers. Tourists love this place very much, especially Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and other attractions.

Video: Top 10 Largest cities in the world by area

According to the latest official information, there are 2.5 million cities in the world. According to data for 2015, the largest city in the world by area is Chongqing, by number of inhabitants - Shanghai, by length - Mexico City, by height - La Rinconada.

Each settlement is remarkable in its own way. Thus, one is famous for its landscapes, another for its enchanting entertainment, and the third for its history. There are also those that are known for their scale. In this article, the emphasis will be on them.

Largest city in the world by area

As mentioned earlier, this is Chongqing. It is located in China (its central part), its area reaches 82,400 square meters. km (except for the territory of the city itself, this also includes the area of the territory under its jurisdiction). According to official data, Chongqing occupies an area of 470 km in the direction from east to west. Its width from north to south is 150 km (for comparison: Australia has the same dimensions).

The largest city in the world by area is divided into districts (19 units), counties (15 units, of which 4 are autonomous). The population density, according to data for 2010, reaches 28,846,170 people, but over 80% of the population mainly live in rural areas, and there are only 6 million urban residents.

History of Chongqing

This city is recognized as the oldest in China. Its history has been going on for 3 thousand years. During the Late Paleolithic period, this is where the primitive representatives of the human race lived. The reason for this is the location of the city at the confluence of the Jialingjiang River and the deep Yangtze River. The largest city in the world by area is surrounded by three mountains: Dabashan (from the north), Wushan (from the east), Dalushan (from the south). Due to the hilly landscape it was called mountain city(Shancheng). Chongqing rises 243 meters above sea level.

10 largest cities in the world

There are quite a lot of them on a global scale. In this regard, the article will present only the ranking of cities by area. So, tenth place belongs to London (1.57 thousand km). It is the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland. This city is also recognized as the largest city in the British Isles. Its location is r. Thames (64 km from the mouth). The city extends across the flat land of the famous London Basin. The most high point above sea level (245 m) - Westerham Heights (extreme southeast).

This city is one of the largest British ports and the main industrial center. Its area is 1.56 thousand square meters. km. Year of foundation - 43 AD e. (the era of the Roman invasion of Britain under the leadership of Emperor Claudius). Presumably, by the time of the invasion there was already a very modest settlement in size, but during archaeological excavations no evidence of this was found. Although the majority of London historical center was not subject to excavations, which is why the fact of the existence of the settlement in the above period cannot be completely denied.

Ninth, eighth and seventh place in the ranking

Ninth place belongs to Tehran (1.6 thousand sq. km). It is the capital and largest city of Iran, the first of all the impressive cities in Asia. From north to south the city stretches for 26 km, from west to east - 40 km. The height difference of the mountain line is 700 m.

As a result of excavations, it was discovered that the existence of a settlement on the territory of the city dates back to 6 thousand BC. e. The settlers headed to the slopes of Elbrus, thereby escaping the sultry heat of the existing saline deserts.

Eighth place- Bogota (1.8 thousand sq. km) is the capital of Colombia. Founded in 1538 (by the Spanish conquistador G. Jimenez de Quesado). Its name translates as “fertile land.” The city is located in the basin of the western slope of the Eastern Cordillera. The height above sea level is 2610 m. This is the largest city in Colombia, which combines futuristic architecture, colonial churches, various museums with the fact that it is recognized as a city of tramps, drug dealers, eternal traffic jams and slums.

Seventh place- Ankara (2.52 thousand sq. km) is the capital of Turkey. Location - Atlantic Plateau (confluence of the Çubuk and Ankara rivers) at an altitude of approximately 938 m above sea level. This is one of the oldest cities in Asia Minor. It is located at the crossroads of trade routes that connect Europe with Asia. This city is the second most important and potential Turkish economic center. The development of Ankara is determined by its very convenient location at the transport junction, the presence of a significant number of civil servants, students, banking, trade structures, and industrial facilities.

Sixth, fifth and fourth place in the ranking

Sixth place- Alexandria (2.7 thousand sq. km) is the main seaport, the second largest city in Egypt, which stretches 32 km along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Year of foundation - 332 BC. e. (A. Makedonsky). This is the most important financial, industrial and commercial center of Egypt.

Fifth place- Karachi (3.5 thousand sq. km) is a port city located in the southern part of Pakistan. It is the largest in the country and one of the largest in the world. Karachi is the capital of Sindh. Population density is 12-18 million people.

Fourth place- Istanbul (5.3 thousand sq. km) is the former capital of the Byzantine, Ottoman, Roman, and Latin empires. He appears significant seaport, cultural, commercial and industrial center of Turkey. It is the only city located on two continents at once - Europe and Asia. This is the largest city in Europe.

Top three ratings

Third place- Buenos Aires (4 thousand sq. km) is the Argentine capital. The year of its foundation is 1580 (the shore of La Plata Bay).

Second place- Kinshasa (10 thousand sq. km) is the capital of Congo. Until 1966, it had a different name - Leopoldville.

The leader of the rating, as mentioned earlier, is Chongqing. It was talked about at the very beginning. These are the largest cities today. The list is gradually changing and being supplemented due to the accelerated growth of a number of settlements.

The largest metropolises by area of our country

For ease of perception, they are presented in the table below.

City name	Area, sq. km

Saint Petersburg
Volgograd





Novosibirsk
Chelyabinsk
Ekaterinburg

Nizhny Novgorod
Krasnoyarsk
Rostov-on-Don

According to official data, these are the largest cities in Russia. Their scale gradually changes as they develop. It would be useful to take a closer look at such largest cities in Russia (by area) as St. Petersburg (the Northern capital) and Moscow.

Capital of the Russian Federation

Moscow is the largest city (by area and population density) in our country. It is the capital of Russia. Moscow is located on the river of the same name. If you look at the map, it is located in the central part of the plain, located in Eastern Europe. The area of Moscow is 2511 sq. km.

Federal bodies of Russian government are concentrated there. Local self-government is well developed. Moscow is the largest financial center. The predominant part of the country's economy is controlled directly by the capital. The largest banks and offices are also concentrated in it.

As mentioned earlier, the largest city in Europe is Istanbul, but our capital is the largest tourist and cultural European center. Historical and architectural monuments, modern entertainment infrastructure will not leave anyone indifferent. In Moscow there are over a hundred theaters and sixty museums, among which the most outstanding are the Bolshoi and Maly theaters and Sovremennik. Fans of opera and ballet can enjoy wonderful productions and virtuoso performances there.

The most popular museums are: the Museum of Anthropology (antiques - a reflection of the life and traditions of the peoples of the world), the Zoological Museum, named after Pushkin.

Every capital guest, without exception, should visit the Tretyakov Gallery. The largest collection of our visual arts. In general, everything that Moscow is rich with cannot be described; it is better to see it with your own eyes.

Historical chronicles

Moscow is the historical capital of the former Grand Duchy of Moscow. Her exact age is still not known. In the second half of the 13th century, during the reign of Prince Danil Alexandrovich (son of A. Nevsky), Moscow acquired the status of the center of an autonomous appanage principality. At that time, the city was located at a commercial junction, which gave it the opportunity to grow and develop.

In the XIV-XV centuries. Moscow has already become a major craft and trading city. By the end of the 15th century. it received the status of the capital of the largest Russian state.

Northern capital: historical facts, attractions

St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Its beauty is strict and lyrical at the same time. It is known that during the first 10 years of its existence it grew rapidly (by 1714 there were about 34.5 thousand buildings there). Magnificent palaces, cathedrals, parks, gardens, and public gardens with statues surrounded by picturesque greenery were erected. St. Petersburg is a city-museum.

This city has been considered the capital since the time when the entire royal court moved to the banks of the Neva from Moscow (1712). Having seized access to the Baltic, our state entered the circle of countries of the North - traditional exporters of leather, fish, iron, timber, lard, and grain. St. Petersburg has become the largest foreign trade center in Russia. At the end of the Peter the Great era, almost half of the total volume of our exports to Western European countries was exported from here.

Then such an important state enterprise as the mint was transferred from Moscow (1724). Palace manufactories arose in the vicinity of St. Petersburg.

Today, the area of the city of St. Petersburg is 1439 square meters. km, population density is approximately 4.75 million people. Located northern capital at 60 degrees N. sh., which gives it the status of the world's largest metropolis located at such high latitudes. St. Petersburg extends for 35 km along the coast of the Neva Bay ( The Gulf of Finland Baltic Sea), affecting the mouth of the Neva, about. Neva delta.

The largest cities in the Russian Federation by population density

For clarity, it is better to present the information in a table.

Population density, people	City name
	Moscow
	Saint Petersburg
	Novosibirsk city
	Yekaterinburg city
	Nizhny Novgorod
	Kazan
	Chelyabinsk

	Samara
	Rostov-on-Don

	Krasnoyarsk

	Volgograd

These are the largest cities in Russia in terms of population density as of 2015.

Finally, it is worth recalling that the article examined the largest cities in our country and Europe. A ranking of the 10 largest cities in the world by area is presented.

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 new town 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 relatively large territory mining, 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 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

The list includes the largest cities in the world with a population of over 1 million people. The most big cities world where the population largest cities there are more than 1 billion people in the world. Thus, the total population of the world's largest cities is 1,180,485,707 people.

The list shows the largest cities in the world, where the largest cities in the world by population are presented starting from the largest cities - the number of the largest cities in the world, the flag of the country, the name of the country and the name of the continent of each major city are indicated.

Population of the largest cities in the world in relation to the population of the Earth.

The population of the world's largest cities makes up 15.76% of the total world population (7.4 billion people), as of 2017. The largest cities in the world by population on our list begin with the largest city on planet Earth - the city of Chongqing in China with a population of 30,165,500 people. Other largest cities in the world are Shanghai in China (24,150,000 people), Beijing in China (21,148,000 people), Tianjin in China (14,425,000 people), Istanbul in Turkey with a population 13,854,740 people

Top 10 largest cities in the world.

The 10 largest cities in the world in descending order from the largest: Chongqing, Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Istanbul, Guangzhou, Tokyo, Karachi, Mumbai, Moscow. At the same time, the city of Moscow is the only European city among the 10 largest cities in the world and is the largest city in Europe. The largest cities in the world by population on our list are the capitals and major cities of the world with over one million people (1,000,000 people).

Which countries have the most millionaire cities?

An interesting fact to note is that of all the millionaire cities on planet Earth, 15 millionaire cities are located in Russia. Number of largest cities in the world in different countries differs: 123 million-plus cities are located in China, 54 million-plus cities are in India, 17 million-plus cities are in Indonesia, 14 million-plus cities are located in Brazil, 12 million-plus cities are in Japan, and 9 cities are located in the United States.

It is no secret that most people prefer to live in cities where all the benefits of civilization are available. Due to the fact that the number of people wishing to become city dwellers is increasing every day, settlements are gradually increasing in size, turning into megacities. What are the largest cities in the world, how many inhabitants they have, and what area they occupy - educational information in our article.

The last census in each country was carried out at different times, and constant migration makes calculations much more difficult. Therefore, some of the data on which the rating is based may no longer be relevant. But still, the list of the largest megacities looks something like this.

For several years, Chinese Shanghai has been in honorable first place among the most populated cities on the planet. Here, according to the census, 24 ml live permanently. 150 thousand people. In order to comfortably accommodate all residents, the metropolis is constantly growing, and most of all in height. Therefore, Shanghai can boast of the largest skyscrapers. At the same time, many architectural landmarks have been preserved here, some of which date back up to seven hundred years.
The city of Karachi, which is located in the south of Pakistan, has a population of 23 million 200 thousand inhabitants. Small in age (about 200 years), this metropolis is actively growing, increasing its area and population. A special feature of the city is the diversity of nationalities that permanently inhabit it. The mixture of cultures, customs and social strata gives the metropolis a special flavor.
The third place in the ranking is occupied by Beijing, the capital of the Celestial Empire. The population of the metropolis is 21 million 710 thousand people. This is the most ancient city in the TOP 5, because it was founded back in the distant 5th century BC. Today it is a real tourist mecca; people from all over the world come here to see the emperor’s palace and other architectural masterpieces with their own eyes. At the same time, the city is actively developing; there is a skyscraper with 106 (!) floors.
The Indian capital of Delhi boasts a population of 18 million 150 thousand. This is the most contrasting city in the ranking. After all, in it you can see breathtaking high-rise buildings in fashionable areas, and miserable slums, where several families are crammed into one hut without any amenities. In addition, there are many ancient temples, castles and fortresses left in the city, striking in their splendor.
Turkish Istanbul, according to the end of 2017, has a population of 15 million 500 thousand people. This is the largest city in Europe. Moreover, the metropolis is developing rapidly, and the number of residents increases by about 300 thousand every year. Istanbul has a good location on the banks of the Bosphorus, which contributes to its development and prosperity.

Let's take a brief look at the next five largest cities in the world by population.

Tianjin is a large Chinese metropolis. It is home to 15 million 470 thousand people. It began its development from a small village, and then became a large port city.
The Japanese capital Tokyo has 13 million 743 thousand inhabitants. The city is actively developing, citizens have a high standard of living, thanks to which more and more people are flocking to the metropolis.
The largest city in Nigeria, Lagos, accommodates 13 million 120 thousand inhabitants in its area. Moreover, the density of their placement is quite high: there are 17 thousand people per square kilometer. The city is divided into slums and areas with huge skyscrapers. It is the largest metropolis in Africa.
Guangzhou is another city in China. 13 million 90 thousand people live here. The metropolis is called the center of world trade. It attracts tourists with ancient historical monuments that coexist peacefully with modern urban structures.
Indian Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is the leader among megacities in terms of population density. After all, 12 and a half million people live on an area of 600 square kilometers. This city became famous thanks to a number of film studios, united under the name Bollywood. All popular Indian films are shot here.

Top 10 largest settlements by area

Chongqing is the largest city in the world by area. It is located in China, its length is 82 thousand 400 square kilometers.
The Chinese metropolis of Hangzhou has an area of 16 thousand 840 km2.
The capital of the Celestial Empire, Beijing, is located on 16 thousand 801 km2.
Brisbane, Australia, has an area of 15,826 km2.
The city of Chengdu (China) occupies 13 thousand 390 km2.
Sydney, Australia, covers an area of 12,144 km2.
The metropolis of Tianjin (China) has an area of 11,760 km2.
Melbourne (Australia) is spread over 9 thousand 990 km2.
The capital of Congo, Kinshasa, has an area of 9,965 km2.
The Chinese city of Wuhan has an area of 8,494 km2.

Rating of the largest ghost towns in the world

The Chinese city of Ordos began to be built in 2003, it was planned that about a million people would live there. Until 2010, the metropolis expanded over an area of 355 square kilometers. But the cost of housing did not allow residents to purchase real estate, as a result of which the houses remained half empty. Today the number of residents barely reaches 50 thousand.
The resort town of San Zhi in Taiwan is dead, no one lived in it at all. According to the project, ultra-modern houses in the shape of UFO saucers were built here. It was hoped that rich people would relax there, tourists would come to look at the original architecture and have fun in numerous complexes. But during the crisis, funding for the project stopped, and the city was not popular. It became a wasteland.
On the island of Cyprus there is Famagusta - an abandoned city. Previously, it was a large trade and economic center. But it was left without inhabitants due to the war between Turkey and Greece. Countries cannot agree on who should own the territory. Therefore, the city became a kind of border, fenced with barbed wire.
American Detroit until recently was a thriving city. Today, only a few thousand inhabitants remain. More and more people are leaving the city due to poor environmental conditions. The reason for this is the construction of large industrial automobile enterprises. Today the city has a high crime rate, which also does not contribute to comfortable living and pushes residents to move.
Russian Neftegorsk became uninhabited after an earthquake in 1995. Powerful tremors left more than 2 thousand residents alive and destroyed almost all buildings. There was no point in rebuilding the city, so only ruins remained in its place.
The Japanese city of Namie was the victim of a huge disaster. In 2013, the Fukushima nuclear power plant exploded, after which all residents were evacuated. Today, it is prohibited to enter Namie territory as radiation levels remain dangerous.
The city of Centralia in the USA became home to anthracite miners, who came here from all over America and remained to live even after the closure of the mines. But the decision of the city authorities to burn the garbage was disastrous for the entire city. In 1962, coal deposits in the ground began to smolder due to fire, and carbon monoxide emissions began to occur. A decision was made to evacuate the population. According to official data, 10 people live there today.