The future of humanity is urban, and the road to sustainability runs through the city.” – Ban Ki-moon, former United Nations Secretary-General1. The world is getting more urban fast. Knowing about the most populated urban areas is key. In 2023, over 4.6 billion people will live in cities, making up 57% of the world’s population1.
The Most Populated Urban Areas in the World 2023
| City | Country | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | 🇯🇵 | 37,785,567 |
| Jakarta | 🇮🇩 | 35,386,531 |
| Delhi | 🇮🇳 | 31,190,468 |
| Guangzhou | 🇨🇳 | 27,119,407 |
| Mumbai | 🇮🇳 | 25,189,378 |
| Manila | 🇵🇠| 24,156,362 |
| Shanghai | 🇨🇳 | 24,042,361 |
| Seoul | 🇰🇷 | 23,225,348 |
| Cairo | 🇪🇬 | 22,679,340 |
| Mexico City | 🇲🇽 | 21,905,329 |
| Calcutta | 🇮🇳 | 21,747,326 |
| São Paulo | 🇧🇷 | 21,486,322 |
| New York | 🇺🇸 | 21,396,321 |
| Karachi | 🇵🇰 | 20,249,304 |
| Dhaka | 🇧🇩 | 19,134,287 |
| Bangkok | 🇹🇠| 18,884,283 |
| Beijing | 🇨🇳 | 18,883,283 |
| Shenzhen | 🇨🇳 | 17,778,267 |
| Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 | 15,748,236 |
| Buenos Aires | 🇦🇷 | 15,748,236 |
Tokyo is the biggest city with 37 million people, followed by Delhi with 33 million, and Shanghai with 29 million123. These cities and others like them are changing the world. They bring both good chances and big challenges for a sustainable future.
Largest Urban Agglomerations (2023)
Source: UN, CityPopulation, demographia
.
Understanding Urban Area Definitions
Defining an urban area is tricky. It looks at more than just how many people live there. The United Nations uses three main definitions to set city limits: city proper (administrative), urban area, and metropolitan area.
City Proper (Administrative)
A city proper is its own area with its own government. It might not cover all the areas around it4. For example, in the U.S., a city with 2,500 people is urban4. In Japan, it takes 30,000 people to be considered urban because of its crowded areas4.
Urban Area
An urban area is a big area of city growth within a certain area, not just by city limits4. It shows how cities grow and spread out. This way, it shows the real size of city growth.
| Country | Urban Population % of Total | Urbanization Rate (2020-2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 26.9% | 3.34% |
| Algeria | 75.3% | 1.99% |
| Argentina | 92.5% | 0.97% |
| Australia | 86.6% | 1.27% |
| Belgium | 98.2% | 0.38% |
| Canada | 81.9% | 0.95% |
| China | 64.6% | 1.78% |
| Denmark | 88.5% | 0.54% |
| Ethiopia | 23.2% | 4.4% |
| Finland | 85.8% | 0.42% |
The table shows how different countries have different urban populations and growth rates5. It shows how complex defining urban areas can be.
“Urban planning and development are crucial in shaping the future of our cities and communities.”
The Most Populated Urban Areas in the World 2023
According to the United Nations’ 2018 estimates, there are 81 cities with over 5 million people2. These cities are spread across different areas, like city proper, urban area, and metropolitan area.
The 10 biggest cities in 2023 are: 1) Tokyo, Japan (37.2 million);2 2) Delhi, India (32.9 million);2 3) Shanghai, China (29.2 million);2 4) Dhaka, Bangladesh (23.2 million);2 5) São Paulo, Brazil (22.6 million);2 6) Mexico City, Mexico (22.3 million);2 7) Cairo, Egypt (22.2 million);2 8) Beijing, China (21.8 million);2 9) Mumbai, India (21.3 million);2 and 10) Osaka, Japan (19.0 million)2.
These cities show how fast cities are growing worldwide6. Over half of the world’s people, more than 4 billion, live in cities6. The UN says cities became more populated than rural areas in 20076.
Big cities are mostly in Asia, but South America and Africa are growing fast too6. Knowing why cities are growing is key for planning and solving the problems of city growth6.
Factors Contributing to Urban Population Growth
The world’s cities are getting bigger fast. Many people move from the countryside to cities for better jobs, more money, and better health care7. By 2050, we might see 2.5 billion more people living in cities, mostly in Asia and Africa7.
More babies being born in cities also adds to the growth. Today, cities are home to 4.2 billion people, with Asia having 54% of them7. Better roads and more jobs make cities more appealing to people from the countryside7.
The World Bank gives $5 billion a year to help cities grow in a sustainable way8. They focus on things like roads, schools, and jobs. But, if cities don’t grow well, climate change could make over 100 million city folks poor by 20308.
Managing city growth well is key for a better future, especially in poor countries where cities are growing fast7. We need to make sure everyone has a place to live, good health care, and education. We should also create more jobs, especially for the poor and those in need7.
| Factors | Impact |
|---|---|
| Rural-to-urban migration | Significant driver of urban population growth, as people seek better economic opportunities, higher incomes, and improved access to education and healthcare in cities |
| Natural population increase | Urban population has grown from 751 million in 1950 to 4.2 billion in 2018, with Asia hosting 54% of the urban population |
| Transportation infrastructure development | Expansion of economic opportunities in cities has made urban areas more accessible and attractive, drawing more people from rural regions |
| Urbanization and economic growth | Developing countries incur more significant disaster costs, losing an average of 1% of GDP annually, compared to 0.1-0.3% in developed countries |
Many things are making cities grow, like people moving from the countryside and more babies being born in cities. Making cities better places to live is important for a good future7.
Conclusion
The world is getting more urban, with cities growing by nearly 600 million people by 20309. Now, 34 cities have over 10 million people, and this number will jump to 43 by 20309. Delhi will be the biggest city then. Knowing the difference between city proper, urban area, and metropolitan area helps us understand the size of cities.
People moving from rural to cities, looking for jobs, and better living conditions are driving growth9. In 2023, about 2.3 billion people lived in big cities, with an average of 4,200 people per square kilometer10. In less developed areas, 1,752 million people lived in big cities, with a higher density of 7,100 people per square kilometer10.
As cities grow, we need to focus on making them sustainable9. A study looked at 30 cities and found they’ve grown a lot since 180011. By 2030, cities will take up more land, almost tripling the area they covered in 200011.
FAQ
What is the current global urban population?
As of mid-2023, about 4.6 billion people live in cities or towns. This is 57% of the world’s people.
How many cities worldwide have a population of more than 10 million inhabitants?
There are 34 cities with over 10 million people. Most are in Asia, Latin America, or Africa.
What are the definitions used by the United Nations to determine what constitutes a city?
The UN has three definitions for a city. They include city proper, urban area, and metropolitan area.
What are the top 10 most populated urban areas in the world in 2023?
The top 10 cities in 2023 are: 1) Tokyo, Japan (37.2 million); 2) Delhi, India (32.9 million); 3) Shanghai, China (29.2 million); 4) Dhaka, Bangladesh (23.2 million); 5) São Paulo, Brazil (22.6 million); 6) Mexico City, Mexico (22.3 million); 7) Cairo, Egypt (22.2 million); 8) Beijing, China (21.8 million); 9) Mumbai, India (21.3 million); and 10) Osaka, Japan (19.0 million).
What factors are contributing to the growth of urban populations globally?
Urban growth is driven by migration from rural areas, natural increase, economic chances, and better transport and infrastructure.
Source Links
- 20 of the largest cities in the world by population, ranked – https://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-cities-world-population-ranked-2023-8
- List of largest cities – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_cities
- No title found – https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/major-urban-areas-population
- Urban Area – https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/urban-area/
- No title found – https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/urbanization
- Urbanization – https://ourworldindata.org/urbanization
- 68% of the world population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, says UN | United Nations – https://www.un.org/uk/desa/68-world-population-projected-live-urban-areas-2050-says-un
- Overview – https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/urbandevelopment/overview
- 68% of the world population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, says UN | UN DESA – https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/2018-revision-of-world-urbanization-prospects.html
- Summary of World Urban Population by Nation and Region – https://www.newgeography.com/content/008032-summary-world-urban-population-nation-and-region
- Urban expansion: theory, evidence and practice | Buildings & Cities – https://journal-buildingscities.org/articles/10.5334/bc.348
