The world's largest urban area, Tokyo (37.4 million), has almost the same population as the entire country of Canada (37.6 million).
The 2018 data on the 30 largest cities of the world,compiled by theUnitedNations Population Division, reflects the best possible estimates of the populations of these huge cities. Dynamicpopulation growthmakes determining the "exact" population of a city difficult, especially in a developing nation.
If you're wondering what these megacities will look like inthe future, the UN has also projected their population for the year 2030. The UN's list from 2018 lists 33 cities having a population higher than 10 million but 2030 is expected to have 43 of those. Also, in 2018, 27 of the megacities were located in the less developed regions, and by 2030, nine additional cities are estimated to be located there.
01
of 30
Tokyo, Japan: 37,468,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-828420922-5b0ad80b3037130037afce56.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (1)")
The top city is expected to move down the list and with 2030's projected population of 36,574,000 become the second largest city.
02
of 30
Delhi, India: 28,514,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-185733537-5b0ad94b04d1cf0036b65d68.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (2)")
Delhi, India, is projected to gain about 10 million people by 2030 to end up with a population of about 38,939,000 and exchange places with Tokyo, becoming thus the world's first largest city.
03
of 30
Shanghai, China: 25,582,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-829204664-5b0ada8b3de4230037c6f7f5.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (3)")
Shanghai's estimated population of 32,869,000 in 2030will keep it at the number three spot.
04
of 30
São Paulo, Brazil: 21,650,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-481310715-5b0add2404d1cf0036b6fd99.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (4)")
Asia and Africa are foreseen to have the most growth in the coming decades. As a result, in 2030, São Paulo, Brazil—with the projected population of 23,824,000—is expected to move down and become only No. 9 on the world's list of most populous cities.
05
of 30
Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico City), Mexico: 21,581,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-638220004-5b0ae0193418c6003835d37e.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (5)")
In 2030, Mexico City is anticipated to still be in the top 10 in population, but only as No. 8.With 24,111,000 people, it is projected to be the largest city in the Western Hemisphere.
06
of 30
Al-Quahirah (Cairo), Egypt: 20,076,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-815359526-5c1c713d46e0fb00014b89dd.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (6)")
Cairo, Egypt, has been a major city for a thousandyears and should continue to be in the top 10 in population with a possible 25,517,000 people living there, making it 2030's No. 5.
07
of 30
Mumbai (Bombay), India: 19,980,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-647437952-5b0adb8fa474be0037051dc4.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (7)")
Mumbai, India should move up by one place in the world's rankings in 2030, with an expected population of 24,572,000.
08
of 30
Beijing, China: 19,618,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-827559708-5b0ade9b3037130037b0d879.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (8)")
The UN Population Division forecasts Beijing, China, to rise to No. 7 on the list with 24,282,000 people in 2030. However, after that year, the country's population may start todecline, based on fertility estimates and its aging population.
09
of 30
Dhaka, Bangladesh: 19,578,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-118152233-5b0afb9d0e23d900366f4201.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (9)")
Bangladesh is among the top 10 countries in the world in population, and Dhaka, its capital, could move up all the way to No. 4 by 2030, with an anticipated population growth of almost 9 million, bringing it up to 28,076,000 inhabitants.
10
of 30
Kinki M.M.A. (Osaka), Japan: 19,281,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-489456075-5b0ae14ffa6bcc003713b908.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (10)")
Tokyo isn't the only Japanese city projected to drop down on the list, as the country is experiencing negative population growth. Based on the projections, Osaka's estimated number of people in 2030 is 18,658,000, bringing it as low as No. 16.
11
of 30
New York, New York–Newark, New Jersey, United States: 18,819,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-902491778-5b0ae4638e1b6e003e191285.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (12)")
Demographers anticipate the metropolitan statistical area of New York City, New York—Newark, New Jersey, to grow to 19,958,000. This will be a rather slow augmentation, especially by comparisonto the fast-growing areas and by 2030 it will get moved down to number 13.
12
of 30
Karachi, Pakistan: 15,400,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-584564004-5b0afc4ca474be00370a114a.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (13)")
Pakistan is also among the world's top 10 most populouscountries, and even though Karachi's population is predicted to grow by almost five million by 2030—to 20,432,000 people, it will remain in its position on the list.
13
of 30
Buenos Aires, Argentina: 14,967,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-145648229-5b0afd44ff1b780036ef23db.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (14)")
Demographers project Buenos Aires, Argentina, to keep growing, hitting 16,456,000 in 2030, but this growth will be slower than the fastest-growing cities in the world and Buenos Aires might lose some ground on the list (drop to No. 20).
14
of 30
Chongqing, China: 14,838,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-738775609-5b0b07c243a1030036973eb2.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (15)")
China has sixlocations on the largest cities list, and UN number-crunchers expect Chongqing to grow to 19,649,000 by 2030.
15
of 30
Istanbul, Turkey: 14,751,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-662947628-5b0b014d119fa80037f4c7de.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (16)")
Turkey has a slightly lower-than-replacement fertility (1.99 and 1.88 by 2030), but Istanbul is still expected to grow to 17,124,000 by 2030. (Replacement fertility is 2.1 births per woman.)
16
of 30
Kolkata (Calcutta), India: 14,681,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-478107843-5b0afe40eb97de0037086b22.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (17)")
India is one of the top two countries in population and is expected to surpass China at the No. 1 position by 2025. As one of its cities, Kolkata's 2030 population projection is 17,584,000 people.
17
of 30
Manila, Philippines: 13,482,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-478920655-5b0b0c21119fa80037f66955.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (18)")
The Philippines was No. 13 on the world population list in 2017, but its capital should remain in the middle of the populous cities pack with a forecast population of 16,841,000 in 2030.
18
of 30
Lagos, Nigeria: 13,463,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-523787248-5b0b09e33037130037b764de.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (19)")
Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing countries in the world and is expected to surpass the United States in population by 2050. Lagos, it is thought, will move up to No. 11 on the list in 2030 with 20,600,000 people living there.
19
of 30
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 13,293,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-628442786-5b0b0f94ba61770036cab817.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (20)")
The second of two Brazilian entries on the list, Rio will likely remain on theworld's most populous list in 2030but since it is expected to grow only to 14,408,000, it might slide down to No. 26.
20
of 30
Tianjin, China: 13,215,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-615949626-5b0f259b8e1b6e003eabb23e.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (21)")
UN demographers still see growth for all the cities of China already on the list, but even though Tianjin is calculated to grow to 15,745,000 people, it might become only No. 23 on the 2030 list.
21
of 30
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: 13,171,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-482790600-5b0f24bd0e23d90036fe6f05.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (22)")
Twenty-two countries in the world have high fertility, one of them being the Congo. Its capital city Kinshasa is expected to achieve 21,914,000 in population and rise to No. 10 of the most populouscities in the world.
22
of 30
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China: 12,638,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-760344115-5b0b0ea6119fa80037f6cb19.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (23)")
The UN expects China's population to remain stable until 2030 when it is expected to start decreasing, but Guangzhou's future has growth in it, to 16,024,000 people by 2030.
23
of 30
Los Angeles–Long Beach–Santa Ana, United States: 12,458,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-106160579-5b0b16578023b90036965bd9.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (24)")
The Los Angeles metropolitan statistical area might not be anticipated to grow quickly, but it should still reach about 13,209,000 in 2030, moving to No. 27.
24
of 30
Moskva (Moscow), Russia: 12,410,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-860736674-5b0f22871d640400379daccf.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (25)")
The UN demographers think that Moscow, Russia willcome in at No. 28 by 2030 with 12,796,000 people.
25
of 30
Shenzhen, China: 11,908,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-489790922-5b0f2a5da474be0037999753.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (26)")
It looks like the city of Shenzhen, China remains among the world's 30 most populated in 2030, coming in with 14,537,000 residents, moving up just barely to No. 24.
26
of 30
Lahore, Pakistan: 11,738,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-152890717-5b0f2d843418c60038ca2777.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (27)")
Since 2016, Lahore, Pakistan, replaced London, England, the last European city, out of the top 30 cities. The city is expected to grow quickly to a population of 16,883,000 and move up as high as No. 18 on the 2030 list.
27
of 30
Bangalore, India: 11,440,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-111706826-5b0f2c21ff1b780036800bc4.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (28)")
One of three Indian cities forecast to move up in rank by 2030 (to No. 21), Bangalore could grow to 16,227,000 residents.
28
of 30
Paris, France: 10,901,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-723524843-5b0f282904d1cf00364b6f49.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (29)")
The Western cultural center, Paris, France, may still be growing (projected 11,710,000 in 2030), but it won't be fast enough to stay in the top 30 cities, possibly falling to No. 35.
29
of 30
Bogotá, Colombia: 10,574,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-508268744-5b0f2eee8e1b6e003eacec34.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (30)")
Bogotá won't be staying on the list in 2030 either. Even though the UN projects an increase to 12,343,000, it might fall just out of the first 30, to No. 31
30
of 30
Jakarta, Indonesia: 10,517,000
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-720078337-5b0f2b23eb97de003797ec41.jpg "Can You Name the 30 Largest Cities in the World? (31)")
More than half of the world's population growth between 2017 and 2050 is estimated to happen in just nine countries, Indonesia among them. Indonesia's capital is expected to grow to 12,687,000 by 2030 and remain No. 30 on the list.
Sources
- “The Worlds Cities in 2018 Data Booklet.”United Nations, 2018.
- “30 Largest Cities.”World Urbanization Prospects—Population Division. United Nations, 2018.
- “Canada Population (LIVE).”Worldometer, 2020.
- “The Worlds Cities in 2016 Data Booklet.”United Nations, 2016.
