Rating of the largest cities. The largest cities in the world by area: rating, list, description and features
In the world today there are more than 2.6 million cities, the population of which can be estimated at tens of millions of inhabitants, and may not exceed twenty citizens. In the world ranking of the most populated cities, Russia is in eleventh place with 12.3 million people living in Moscow. The first ten places were distributed among such countries as China, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Turkey, Japan.
1. Chongqing
The first place in the ranking of the largest cities in terms of population in the world is occupied by Chongqing, which has 53.2 million people and an area of 82.4 thousand km 2. The settlement is located, in terms of the number of inhabitants and territory, far ahead of all other cities, in China at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialingjiang rivers, in total, about eighty rivers flow through the city with suburbs. The city is 470 km long and 450 km wide. The urbanized zone of Chongqing occupies 1473 km2. The city consists of 26 districts, 8 counties and 4 autonomous regions.
2. Shanghai
The second place among the largest cities in terms of population is also occupied by the Chinese city, which is Shanghai. 24.152 million people live on an area of 6.34 thousand km2. Located in the eastern part of the country in the Yangtze River Delta, the city is a major seaport and the most important cultural and financial center of the state. Shanghai is divided into 17 districts, to the east of the city is the East China Sea. The economic development of this locality is carried out according to a unique system that includes several dedicated growth zones corresponding to certain areas of industry, trade or science.
3. Karachi
The third position in the ranking of the largest cities is occupied by Karachi, a port city in Pakistan with a population of 23.5 million people. It is an important banking and industrial center in the country, significantly influencing the economic development of the state. The area of the city occupies 3530 km2. Karachi is the largest educational center in South Asia. The settlement is located on the coast of the Indian Ocean, in particular, the Arabian Sea. The city belongs to the province of Sindh and has a three-level principle of division, it includes 18 tehsils.
4. Beijing
The capital of China, Beijing, with a population of 21.7 million people, ranks fourth in the world in terms of the number of inhabitants. The area of the territories is estimated at 16.8 thousand km 2. For China, the city has the most important political, cultural, and transport significance. The administrative division provides for the presence of 14 regions and 2 counties. Beijing's architecture has a whimsical mix of styles, including a fusion of 50s development with the latest skyscrapers with a futuristic appearance. Rich story cities made it global tourist center with the ever-increasing flow of foreign tourists.
5. Delhi
Located in northern India on the Jamna River, Delhi, with a population of 16.3 million, ranks fifth in the ranking. The settlement is distinguished by its multinational composition and a mixture of cultural traditions. The economy of the city is completely dependent on the activities of various ethnic groups. There are more than 60,000 monuments of world significance in Delhi. The area of the city occupies 1483 km 2 , the territory is divided into three city corporations. Delhi has nine districts, each of which includes three districts. The city is a national capital region.
6. Lagos
Nigeria's most populated city, Lagos, is the sixth most populous city in the world. With a population of 15.1 million people, the settlement is recognized as the largest in Africa. Until 1991, the city with an area of 999.5 km 2 was the capital of Nigeria. Lagos has a complex location, occupying the territory of the islands and the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The city includes 16 local government territories, almost completely occupying the state of the same name. Almost 50 percent of Nigerian industry is located in this locality, the city is recognized as the center of the national film industry.
7. Istanbul
The seventh place in the world in terms of population is occupied by Istanbul, the number of inhabitants of which is 13.8 million people. An important cultural and industrial center of Turkey, a major port of the country is located on the banks of the Bosphorus. The area of the settlement covers the territory of 5343 km 2. The city is located in Europe and Asia, on the territory of the first there are two urban areas, in the second - 35 districts. Most of the residents profess Islam, while the townspeople are loyal to foreign citizens who unintentionally violate religious traditions.
8. Tokyo
In eighth place in the ranking of large cities in the world is Tokyo with 13.3 million inhabitants. The capital of Japan has an area of 2.188 km 2 and is located on the island of Honshu on the Pacific coast. The city is a prefecture of the country and has the most important economic, cultural and financial significance for the state. Tokyo occupies one of the leading places in the world in terms of urban economic growth. The city includes 23 special districts, 26 cities, 1 county and 4 districts. Part of the administrative divisions of Tokyo is located on other islands.
9. Guangzhou
Located in the south of China, the city of Guangzhou and the administrative center of Guangdong province with a population of 13 million people covers an area of 7434 km 2. The settlement is a large commercial and industrial center, a seaport of the South China Sea, as well as a city with more than 2000 years of history. Administratively, Guangzhou is divided into ten districts and two counties. For economic development The city has a significant impact on the tourism industry, the settlement is known beyond the borders of China and is popular with foreign visitors.
10. Mumbai
Mumbai occupies the tenth place in the ranking of the largest cities. The settlement, located on the coast of the Arabian Sea, has a population of 12.4 million people. The area of territories exceeds 600 km 2 . Mumbai is located in the western part of India and is an important international transport center and a major seaport. In the life of the state, the settlement plays a decisive cultural and economic significance. Mumbai consists of two parts, the city itself and the suburbs, which are administratively divided into 23 districts.
According to approximate data, there are about 3 million cities on the planet. Small and large, developed and poor, beautiful resorts and fascinating historical ones. Each is good in its own way. And there are those that are remarkable precisely for their area. In our article we will talk about cities in size XXL. The criterion for the rating was the "net" area of the city, which it occupies without taking into account districts and agglomerations. Meet the largest cities in the world by area!
Sydney (12144, 6 sq. km)
The rating opens with the largest city on earth - Sydney. In combination, this is the largest and one of the most popular Australian cities. It was founded by Arthur Phillip in 1788. The city got its name from the name of Lord Sydney - the famous minister of the British colonies.
Area: 12144.6 sq. km. Of it, only 1.7 thousand square meters. km is allocated to residential areas, the rest of the territory is mountains and numerous picturesque parks. With a population of 4.5 million, Sydney is the most populous city in the entire country.
Sydney is built around Port Jackson Bay - one of the largest natural bays on earth! From the west, the city is bounded by the Blue Mountains, from the east by the Pacific waters, from the south by the Royal National Park, and from the north by the incredibly beautiful Hawkesbury River.
Kinshasa (10550 sq. km)
The giant capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo used to have a funny name - Leopoldville. In 1966, it was renamed Kinshasa. Area: 10550 sq. km. Most of it is in sparsely populated rural areas. The population is over 10 million people.
Kinshasa stretches along south coast the Congo River and is located directly opposite the city of Brazzaville (the capital of the Republic of the Congo). This is a unique phenomenon when two capitals are located so close to each other - according to different sides one river!
Interesting fact: Kinshasa is the 2nd city in the world after Paris, where the majority of the population speaks French.
Buenos Aires (4000 sq. km)
The top three largest cities in the world by area are closed by the delightful capital of Argentina - Buenos Aires. It is one of the most beautiful and lively cities in the country. It was created in 1580 on the coast of La Plata Bay. Twice in its history it was restored from ruins: a few years after its foundation it was burned by the Indians, and in the 19th century it suffered from a series of earthquakes.
Area: 4,000 sq. km. The population is about 2.8 million people.
from the east and south sides the city is bounded by the bays of Rio de la Plata and Riachuelo. The remaining perimeter is occupied by the legendary highway Avenida General Paz - it surrounds the city from the west and north.
Karachi (3530 sq km)
Karachi is a giant port city in Pakistan, the capital of Sindh province. The history of the city dates back to the era of Alexander the Great.
Area: 3530 sq. km - this is 4 times the area of Hong Kong. The population is over 12 million people. Rightfully bears the title of one of the most densely populated cities in the world.
The city is geographically located in the south of Pakistan, on a flat area off the coast of the Arabian Sea.
Alexandria (2680 sq. km)
This ancient city is more than one millennium old. It was created in 332 BC by the same Alexander the Great. This is the second largest city in Egypt and the main seaport of the state. Entered the 5 largest cities in the world by area!
Area: 2680 sq. km. The population is about 4.5 million people.
Alexandria is nestled in the Nile Delta and covers about 32 km in length along the Mediterranean coast.
Ankara (2500 sq. km)
The Turkish capital Ankara is one of the oldest cities in Asia Minor and the second most important city in Turkey (second only to Istanbul). It originates from the 7th century BC!
Area: 2500 sq. km. The population is about 4.9 million people.
The city is located at the confluence of the Chubuk and Ankara rivers, on the Anatolian plateau.
Istanbul (2106 sq km)
The former capital of the Great Empires also boasts of its scale. Previously, the city bore the proud name of Constantinople and was a real cradle of civilizations.
Area: 2106 sq. km. The population is about 14 million people.
Located along the banks of the Bosphorus. This is one of the most beautiful cities on the planet, which is included in the top 10 popular tourist routes.
Tehran (1881 sq. km)
This is the majestic city of Iran, occupying one of the first places in the list major cities Asia. Archaeological excavations indicate that settlements on the site of the city existed as early as the 6th century BC.
Area: 1881 sq. km. The population is about 9 million people.
Tehran is located in northern Iran at the foot of the Elbrus mountain range.
Bogotá (1590 sq. km)
For the appearance of this amazing city, it is worth saying “thank you” to the Spanish conquistadors. It was they who founded Bogotá in 1538! Today it is the capital of the Republic of Colombia with an area of 1590 sq. km. The population is about 7 million people.
The city is geographically located in the basin of the western slope of the Eastern Cordillera, right on the equator. It is famous for its chic futuristic architecture, rich selection of museums, incredibly beautiful colonial churches and frequent earthquakes.
London (1580 sq km)
"London from the Capital of Great Britain" - every schoolboy knows this. Do you know that this is also one of the largest ports in Britain, as well as a giant city, completing the top 10 largest cities in the world by area?
London was founded back in 43 AD when the Romans invaded Britain. It is located on the Greenwich meridian, on the River Thames and bears the "title" of the city of fogs. Yes, fogs are common here, as are rains.
Area: 1580 sq. km. The population is about 8 million people.
Everything lately more people prefer to live in urban areas. Most Big city in the world in terms of area, Chongqing has a population in 2010 of about 28 million people. According to various estimates, about half of the world's population now lives in cities. Wherein total area cities of the world is not so great - just over 1% of the land area.
Modern urbanization, that is, the process of growth of cities and urban population, began in the middle of the twentieth century and especially affected developing countries. It is characterized not only by the growth of the population, but also by the growth of cities, the formation of large agglomerations. This leads to the fact that modern megacities become colossal in size, which is confirmed if we consider the most big cities.
The largest cities in the world
There may be several answers to the question of which is the largest city in the world in terms of area. The reason for this is the uncertainty of the borders and the very concept of “city”. However, the Chinese Chongqing is considered the generally accepted record holder, which extends over 82,400 km 2, which is comparable to the area of Austria. On the site of this city, people began to settle, according to local archaeologists, as early as 3000 years ago.
No wonder, because it is in this place that the Jialing River flows into the Yangtze, and to the west of the city extends the Red Pool - the breadbasket of China. Among other things, the city is surrounded by three mountain ranges like a fortress wall: Dabashan in the north, Wushan in the east and Dalushan in the south. Despite the fact that the process of urbanization is in full swing, only about 2% of the territory is urban development with all the characteristics of the city, while most of it is in suburban and rural areas. That is why in terms of population it is not even included in the top twenty largest cities on the planet.
In recent years, China has been developing rapidly. Therefore, it is not surprising that the largest cities in the world are located here. Not only the aforementioned Chongqing, but also Shanghai, the largest in terms of population, ahead of Tokyo in its growth. The largest city is also located in this country and is its capital.
Beijing extends over 16,800 km2 and, unlike Chongqing, is heavily urbanized and constantly growing. In early 2005, the government adopted a plan that aims to halt the city's sprawl in all directions by concentrating it in two semi-circular lanes to the west and east of the city centre. On the example of Beijing are clearly visible negative sides growth and increasing urbanization: traffic jams, air pollution, violation and destruction of architectural monuments.
The famous Beijing smog calling card cities along with the Forbidden City. Traffic jams in Beijing are no longer inferior to those in Moscow, despite the fact that the number of cars in relation to the population there is much less. The city is not saved by the constant expansion of highways, the construction of new roads and the introduction of more stringent parking and travel rules in various urban areas.
China in the future has every chance of becoming a leading country in urban planning. IN last years The Chinese government talks about the need to increase the level of consumption within the country for economic growth. This requires urbanization and migration to cities from rural areas. Therefore, it is not surprising that it is here that the largest cities in the world are located, which will continue to grow in the future.
Already now, ahead of time, the country is developing construction technologies and implementing various projects to optimize urban space and improve the quality of life of the population. And the cities themselves and urban areas are being built ahead of schedule. This has led to the fact that the largest ghost town in the world is located in one and a half billion China.
The New Ordos is The largest city with high-rise buildings and developed infrastructure, but without the population. It extends over 355 km 2 and is designed for more than 1 million inhabitants. People actually live there, but there are not many of them - according to various estimates, from 30 to 100 thousand. This does not prevent the university, libraries, municipal services, public transport and even a tourist office. All this is here and even functions, except perhaps for no one.
But local officials do not despair and gradually move people from the surrounding villages to city apartments, reviving the city. This is generally characteristic of Chinese ghost towns: they are gradually filled with people, because every year about 10 million people move to cities. The most typical example is Shanghai's Pudong district, which has become a landmark of the country thanks to its futuristic skyscrapers. Even 15 years ago, it was an abandoned city. Now it houses many offices, shopping centers.
The role of the city in life modern man is growing: many people no longer see development prospects for themselves outside of it. Scientists call this phenomenon urbanization. What are the most populated cities in the world? In this article you will find a list of the largest cities in the world.
Urbanization and its current scale
Urbanization refers to the growing role of the city in society. The word urbanus is translated from Latin as "urban".
Modern urbanization can take place in three ways:
- The transformation of villages and villages into small and medium-sized cities.
- The outflow of population from villages to cities.
- Formation of extensive suburban residential areas.
The world's most populated cities are often held hostage to their oversized size. Bad ecology, a huge amount of transport on the streets, a lack of green spaces and recreation areas, constant noise pollution - all this, of course, negatively affects the health (physical and mental) of a person, a resident of a metropolis.
The processes of urbanization, according to scientists, began around the middle of the 19th century. But then they were local, local in nature. They reached the global level a century later - in the 50s of the twentieth century. At that time urban population planet is growing rapidly, the largest megacities of our time are being formed.
If in 1950 the share of the urban population on the planet was only 30%, then in 2000 it had already reached 45%. Today, the level of global urbanization is about 57%.
The most urbanized countries on the planet are Luxembourg (100%), Belgium (98%), Great Britain (90%), Australia (88%) and Chile (88%).
The most populated cities in the world
In fact, it is quite difficult to determine the population of a large city. First, researchers are not always able to obtain up-to-date and reliable statistical information (especially if we are talking about the megacities of third world countries - Asia, Africa or Latin America).
Secondly, the approaches to counting the number of city residents can be different. Thus, some demographers do not take into account people living in the suburban area, while others ignore temporary labor migrants. That is why it is very difficult to name exactly the most populated city in the world.
Another problem faced by demographers and statisticians is the problem of defining the boundaries of a metropolitan area. To solve it, they recently invented one very interesting method. To do this, take a picture of the settlement from the air, in evening time days. Then the boundaries of the city can be easily drawn along the edge of the distribution of urban lighting.
Top most populated cities in the world
In ancient times, Jericho was considered the largest (in terms of population) city on the planet. About 2 thousand people lived in it nine thousand years ago. Today, this is the number of inhabitants in a large village and a small European town.
The total number of inhabitants living in the ten most populated cities on the planet is almost 260 million people! In other words, this is 4% of the total population of the Earth.
- Tokyo (Japan, 37.7 million people);
- Jakarta (Indonesia, 29.9);
- Chongqing (China, 29.0);
- Delhi (India, 24.2);
- Manila (Philippines, 22.8);
- Shanghai (China, 22.6);
- Karachi (Venezuela, 21.7);
- New York (United States of America, 20.8);
- Mexico City (Mexico, 20.5).
Six out of ten of these cities are located in Asia, with 2 in China. It is worth noting that the largest city in Europe, Moscow, would take only 17th place in this rating. In the capital Russian Federation home to about 16 million people.
Tokyo, Japan)
The capital of Japan is by far the most populated city in the world, with a population of at least 37 million people. For comparison: this is the number of inhabitants in all of Poland!
Today, Tokyo is not only the largest metropolis, but also the most important financial, industrial and Cultural Center East Asia. The world's largest subway operates here: it transports at least 8 million passengers a day. Tokyo will amaze any traveler with a huge number of faceless, gray streets and alleys. Some of them don't even have their own names.
Surprisingly, the largest metropolis on the planet is located in a seismically unstable zone. About a hundred fluctuations of different intensity are recorded in Tokyo every year.
Chongqing (China)
Chinese Chongqing belongs to the absolute world championship among cities in terms of territory. It occupies the same area as the state of Austria in Europe - 82,000 square kilometers.
The metropolis has an almost perfect round shape: 470 by 460 kilometers. About 29 million Chinese live here. However, since a large number of them live in the suburban area, some extras sometimes do not include Chongqing in the lists of the most populated cities in the world.
In addition to its colossal size, the city also boasts ancient history. After all, it is over 3,000 years old. Chongqing arose at the confluence of two Chinese rivers, surrounded by three picturesque hills.
New York, USA)
New York, although not the largest city in terms of population on the planet, but it can be considered the most popular world metropolis.
The city is often referred to as the Big Apple. Why? Everything is very simple: according to one of the legends, it was the apple tree that was the first to take root within the boundaries of the future metropolis.
New York is an important financial center of the world; about 700 thousand (!) different companies are located here. At least 6,000 subway cars and about 13,000 taxi cars serve the residents of the city every day. By the way, it is no coincidence that local taxis are painted in yellow. The founder of a shipping company once did a special study trying to determine which color is the most pleasing to the human eye. It turned out that it was yellow.
Conclusion
An amazing fact: if you collect all the inhabitants of the 10 most populated cities in the world, you get a number that is almost twice the total population of Russia! In addition, these already huge metropolitan areas continue to grow.
The most populated cities in the world are Tokyo, Jakarta, Chongqing, Delhi and Seoul. All of them are located in Asia.
More than 50% of the world's population are city dwellers. Based on the fact that 7 billion people live on the planet, there are approximately 50 people for every square kilometer of the earth's surface. However, there are places where the accuracy of people is amazing. For example, the largest favela in Rio de Janeiro has a density of 48,000 people per sq. km.
We present you the top 10 largest cities in the world in terms of population. All the given data on the number of citizens are taken from Wikipedia, Worldatlas and other open sources and are relevant for 2017.
Population: 13.5 million people
Guangzhou is the educational, economic, technological and cultural center of southern China. Its location on the banks of the Pearl River has contributed to its growth as an important port city.
The population of Guangzhou is replenished mainly by foreign emigrants, as well as illegal migrants from the countries of the Middle East, South-East Asia And of Eastern Europe. Thanks to this, the city has earned a reputation as the "capital of the Third World".
Population: 13.7 million people
The capital of Japan is known for its modern design, devotion advanced technologies and crowded streets. In 2010, a population boom began in Tokyo and for the first time in its history, the population exceeded 13 million people. The city authorities attributed the population growth to the intensive construction of condominiums and the increase in the number of foreigners.
Population: 14.8 million people
Istanbul is a tourist city that attracts visitors from all over the world. However, in addition to this, it serves as the focus of the Turkish economy.
Now the construction of the new Istanbul Airport is in full swing, which will be able to receive 150 million passengers a year. It should become the largest airport in the world. The opening of the new air harbor is scheduled for 2018. After that, the old Ataturk Airport will be closed.
Population: 15.1 million people
The commercial center of his country and one of the fastest growing African cities. Lagos is also famous for being the center of Nollywood (Nigerian film industry).
Population: 15.4 million people
Tianjin is located in the northern coastal zone China with over 15 million inhabitants.
It is curious that in this Chinese port city until 1919 there was a post office of Russia. Or rather, the Russian Empire.
Population: 16.7 million people
Delhi is ancient city located in northern India. According to the UN forecast, by 2030 the population of Delhi will grow by almost 10 million people.
Population: 21.5 million people
By 2030, the population of the Chinese capital may reach 27 million people. And as the cultural center of China, Beijing boasts seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
In addition, Beijing has established itself as an industrial sector since the communist revolution of 1949. Automobiles, textiles, aerospace, and semiconductors are far from complete list products that are produced in this city.
Population: 23.5 million people
It is hard to imagine that once this multi-million dollar city was a small fishing village. Currently, Karachi is the economic and industrial center of Pakistan and its population is constantly growing, mainly due to migrants from various countries South Asia.
Karachi has the glory of the center higher education in South Asia and the Muslim world.
Population: 24.2 million people
Shanghai's population is expected to reach 50 million by 2050, driven by economic growth and rapid urbanization.
Population: 53.2 million people
The largest city in terms of population is one of the 5 national central cities People's Republic of China (PRC) and is located in southwestern China.
Such a large number of residents is due to the huge number of migrant workers, many of whom live in Chongqing for less than 6 months a year. At the same time, less than 7 million people live in the urbanized area of the metropolis.
For comparison: 12.4 million people live in Moscow. And taking into account the Moscow region - 16 million.
Like the rest of China, Chongqing has a demographic problem. While the labor force is still fueled by economic growth, the effects of the one-child policy have taken their toll. The labor force is shrinking, while the elderly population is growing exponentially. As one analyst said, China could be the first major country who is old before she is rich.
The largest city in the world in terms of population has a large gap between born boys and girls under 20, and this threatens to cause problems in the future. For example, this can cause a drop in the birth rate and, accordingly, a shortage work force. But the majority of Chongqing women are unlikely to face the fate of remaining an old maid "with 40 cats."
The largest cities in the world by area
Many Russians to the question "what is the largest city in the world?" proudly answer: "Moscow". And they will be wrong. Although the Russian capital is the largest metropolis in Europe both in area (2,561 km2) and in terms of population, it is inferior in size to foreign million-plus cities.
We present you the largest cities in the world, if the territory controlled by the city administration is taken as the main parameter.
Area: 9,965 km²
Most (namely, 60%) of the capital of the Republic of the Congo is occupied by sparsely populated countryside. However, it is included in the administrative boundaries of the city. Crowded, but small urban areas are located in the west of the province.
Kinshasa is among the cities with the most big amount French-speaking population (in the first place, of course, Paris). What if the current demographic situation continues, Kinshasa will surpass Paris in terms of population in 2020.
Area: 9,990 km²
In Australia, one of the most urbanized countries in the world, 89.01% of the population lives in urban areas. With 4.44 million people living in Melbourne, it is only slightly behind number seven on the list. But all big Australian cities have one common feature- They are located near the coastline. The coastal areas encouraged the growth of the first European settlements, which quickly developed into modern bustling metropolitan areas.
Area: 11,943 km²
Tianjin - the "commercial gateway" of Beijing - began to develop as shopping mall after the Grand Canal was built during the Sui Dynasty.
The city especially grew during the reign of the Qing Dynasty, and during the existence of the Republic of China. The most dynamically developing sector of the urban economy is the seaport of Tianjin.
Rosneft and China National Petroleum Corporation have also agreed to build an oil refinery in Tianjin. The signing of the construction schedule became known back in 2014. The start-up of the plant is scheduled for 2019.
Area: 12,367 km²
The city of 4.84 million expanded rapidly following the development of the Harbor Bridge. Its residential areas are surrounded by beautiful national parks. And on the extremely indented coastline there was a place for numerous beaches, bays, coves and islands.
Area: 12,390 km²
The city, which was once famous for its brocade, and at one time was the capital of China, in addition to its impressive size, boasts the world's largest Buddha statue. The height of the Big Buddha, carved into the rock, is 71 meters. According to the locals, "Gradually, the mountain becomes the Buddha, and the Buddha becomes the mountain."
Area: 15,061 km²
Once the capital of the state of Eritrea was 4 villages founded in the 12th century. And now it is the largest city in the country, which is called the "New Rome" due to the Italian spirit in architecture. In 2017, Asmara entered the list world heritage UNESCO.
The name of the metropolis was previously pronounced as Asmara - "flowering forest" in translation from the Tigrinya language.
Area: 15,826 km²
The administrative center (and once the capital) of the state of Queensland was not always a city. He "gathered" from 20 separate municipalities and acquired the status of a city in 1925.
Now Brisbane is the fastest growing Australian city, and at the same time one of the most multinational in the world.
Area: 16,411 km²
More than 20 million people live in the capital of China. The Beijing urban area diverges in circles that are between the concentric ring roads of the city. The largest of them is the Sixth Ring Road, which runs even through the satellite cities of the Chinese capital.
In 2020, Beijing will host guests and participants of the Winter Olympics, and in 2008 it hosted the Summer Games.
Area: 16,847 km²
During the Southern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou was the most populated city in the world. It is still rather big, the number of citizens has exceeded 8 million people.
The city is famous for its natural beauty and tea plantations. As the Chinese proverb says, “There is heaven in heaven, and on earth there is Suzhou and Hangzhou.”
Area: 82,403 km²
The largest and most populated city in the world is Chongqing. Most of the population lives outside the urbanized zone, the size of which is 1,473 km². And the total area of the city, together with suburban and rural areas, corresponds to the size of Austria.
