This Asian Megacity Has Over 37 Million People

VaselineSeptember 8, 2024

0 14 minutes read

This Asian Megacity Has Over 37 Million People

24/7 Wall St. Insights

A megacity is defined as an urban area with at least 10 million residents
Over population will push Earth’s resources past the point of no return

Also, Discover “The Next NVIDIA”

Humans have congregated in large groups ever since they traded in their nomadic way of life in favor of setting down roots. The first recorded city to reach over 1 million people was Rome, way back in 133 BCE. However, megacities, urban areas with at least 10 million residents, are a relatively modern phenomenon. In 1900, the largest city in the world was London, which was home to five million residents. It was nowhere close to the huge cities that exist today. The first city to reach 10 million people was the United States’ own New York, which documented these staggering numbers in 1950. Today, there are a total of 44 megacities spread out across the globe.

America is home to two of these monstrously large cities: Los Angeles and New York. Though New York reached megacity status as early as the 1950s, Los Angeles County wouldn’t reach these numbers for many decades to come. However, as of 2024, the Greater LA area is home to over 20 million people.

Demographia, rather than using any official boundaries of cities or jurisdictions, uses built-up urban areas definitions, explaining that such urban areas “function as an integrated economic unit, linked together by commuting flows, social and economic interactions.”

To identify the world’s 44 megacities, 24/7 Wall St. used data from the August 2023 edition of the World Urban Areas report from Demographia. Cities on the list are ranked based on their population. All data is from this report, except for gross domestic product, which came from CEOWorldBiz. The matter of boundaries is particularly important to calculating GDP, and while some lists may rank New York as the largest economy among world cities, this list ranks Tokyo as the largest.

By far, Asia has the largest number of megacities, with 26 in East Asia and the Pacific region, including 11 in China. Of the eight cities in the South Asian region, five are in India. There are also four cities in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as four in Europe and Central Asia, including Paris and London. Six megacities are in Latin America, and two — New York and Los Angeles — are in the United States.

Many of these cities have a diverse cultural mixture as well as governing challenges that include infrastructure, population density, and environmental problems.

Why We Are Mentioning This

This Asian Megacity Has Over 37 Million People

In 1950, the world was home to just under three billion people. By 1990, it had surpassed five billion. As this number now approaches eight billion, over population is growing increasingly problematic. No where is this more apparent than in megacities, urban areas exploding with residents. In the U.S., the average citizen uses five times more resources than what the planet is capable of sustaining. Are we pushing the Earth’s resources past the point of no return?

44. Tianjin, TJ, China

Estimated population, 2023: 10,047,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,086 square miles (or 2,813 square km) — #33 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 9,251 people per square mile — #655 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $235.66 billion — #51 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

43. Bogota, Colombia

Estimated population, 2023: 10,252,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 217 square miles (or 562 square km) — #241 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 47,244 people per square mile — #36 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $159.00 billion — #92 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: Latin America and Caribbean
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

42. Wuhan, HUB, China

Estimated population, 2023: 10,353,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 703 square miles (or 1,821 square km) — #60 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 14,727 people per square mile — #388 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $274.68 billion — #38 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

41. Lima, Peru

Estimated population, 2023: 10,556,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 344 square miles (or 891 square km) — #152 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 30,686 people per square mile — #114 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: N/A
World Bank geographical region: Latin America and Caribbean
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

40. Dongguan, GD, China

China Dongguan Nancheng CBD night city scenery

Estimated population, 2023: 10,753,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 679 square miles (or 1,759 square km) — #63 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 15,837 people per square mile — #346 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $112.30 billion — #114 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

39. London, United Kingdom

Estimated population, 2023: 10,803,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 671 square miles (or 1,738 square km) — #68 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 16,100 people per square mile — #333 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $978.40 billion — #4 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: Europe and Central Asia
Country class (World Bank): High income

38. Luanda, Angola

Estimated population, 2023: 10,914,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 388 square miles (or 1,005 square km) — #126 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 28,129 people per square mile — #133 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: N/A
World Bank geographical region: Sub-Saharan Africa
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

37. Zhengzhou, HEN, China

Estimated population, 2023: 11,068,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 689 square miles (or 1,785 square km) — #62 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 16,064 people per square mile — #336 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $144.00 billion — #99 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

36. Paris, France

Estimated population, 2023: 11,108,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,102 square miles (or 2,854 square km) — #32 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 10,084 people per square mile — #599 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $904.52 billion — #6 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: Europe and Central Asia
Country class (World Bank): High income

35. Chennai, TN, India

Estimated population, 2023: 11,570,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 473 square miles (or 1,225 square km) — #103 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 24,461 people per square mile — #178 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $66.00 billion — #198 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: South Asia
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

34. Xi’an, SAA, China

Estimated population, 2023: 12,211,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 705 square miles (or 1,826 square km) — #59 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 17,321 people per square mile — #304 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $154.19 billion — #96 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

33. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Estimated population, 2023: 12,306,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 780 square miles (or 2,020 square km) — #51 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 15,777 people per square mile — #349 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $209.36 billion — #61 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: Latin America and Caribbean
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

32. Chongqing, CQ, China

Estimated population, 2023: 12,653,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 610 square miles (or 1,580 square km) — #76 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 20,743 people per square mile — #241 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $407.56 billion — #26 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

31. Tehran, Iran

Estimated population, 2023: 13,382,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 658 square miles (or 1,704 square km) — #70 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 20,337 people per square mile — #248 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: N/A
World Bank geographical region: Middle East and North Africa
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

30. Kinshasa, Congo (Dem. Rep.)

Estimated population, 2023: 13,493,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 200 square miles (or 518 square km) — #263 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 67,465 people per square mile — #6 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: N/A
World Bank geographical region: Sub-Saharan Africa
Country class (World Bank): Low income

29. Lahore, Pakistan

Estimated population, 2023: 13,504,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 365 square miles (or 945 square km) — #138 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 36,997 people per square mile — #73 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $93.40 billion — #221 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: South Asia
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

28. Istanbul, Turkey

Estimated population, 2023: 14,441,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 568 square miles (or 1,471 square km) — #83 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 25,424 people per square mile — #166 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $247.31 billion — #50 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: Europe and Central Asia
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

27. Lagos, Nigeria

Estimated population, 2023: 14,540,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 998 square miles (or 2,585 square km) — #38 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 14,569 people per square mile — #394 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $74.67 billion — #178 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: Sub-Saharan Africa
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

26. Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto, Japan

Estimated population, 2023: 14,916,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,166 square miles (or 3,020 square km) — #29 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 12,792 people per square mile — #461 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $699.47 billion — #8 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): High income

25. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Estimated population, 2023: 14,953,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 836 square miles (or 2,165 square km) — #49 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 17,886 people per square mile — #291 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $96.39 billion — #141 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

24. Chengdu, SC, China

Estimated population, 2023: 15,016,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 747 square miles (or 1,935 square km) — #55 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 20,102 people per square mile — #251 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $260.39 billion — #42 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

23. Bangalore, KA, India

Estimated population, 2023: 15,257,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 673 square miles (or 1,743 square km) — #67 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 22,670 people per square mile — #204 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: N/A
World Bank geographical region: South Asia
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

22. Johannesburg-Pretoria, South Africa

Estimated population, 2023: 15,551,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,560 square miles (or 4,040 square km) — #16 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 9,969 people per square mile — #605 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $76.00 billion — #176 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: Sub-Saharan Africa
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

21. Los Angeles, CA, United States

Estimated population, 2023: 15,587,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 2,671 square miles (or 6,918 square km) — #5 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 5,835 people per square mile — #852 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $1,124.68 billion — #3 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: North America
Country class (World Bank): High income

20. Buenos Aires, Argentina

Estimated population, 2023: 15,748,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,327 square miles (or 3,437 square km) — #23 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 11,867 people per square mile — #501 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $84.70 billion — #157 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: Latin America and Caribbean
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

19. Shenzhen, GD, China

Estimated population, 2023: 17,778,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 698 square miles (or 1,808 square km) — #61 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 25,470 people per square mile — #165 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $455.69 billion — #21 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

18. Moscow, Russia

Estimated population, 2023: 17,878,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 2,565 square miles (or 6,643 square km) — #6 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 6,970 people per square mile — #791 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $504.80 billion — #17 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: Europe and Central Asia
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

17. Beijing, BJ-HEB, China

Estimated population, 2023: 18,883,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,654 square miles (or 4,284 square km) — #14 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 11,417 people per square mile — #526 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $618.64 billion — #11 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

16. Bangkok, Thailand

Estimated population, 2023: 18,884,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,235 square miles (or 3,199 square km) — #26 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 15,291 people per square mile — #368 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $252.12 billion — #46 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

15. Dhaka, Bangladesh

Estimated population, 2023: 19,134,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 239 square miles (or 619 square km) — #220 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 80,059 people per square mile — #3 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $160.00 billion — #91 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: South Asia
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

14. Karachi, Pakistan

Estimated population, 2023: 20,249,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 434 square miles (or 1,124 square km) — #112 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 46,657 people per square mile — #38 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $200.00 billion — #64 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: South Asia
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

13. New York, NY-NJ-CT, United States

Estimated population, 2023: 21,396,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 4,380 square miles (or 11,344 square km) — #1 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 4,884 people per square mile — #895 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $1,992.77 billion — #2 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: North America
Country class (World Bank): High income

12. Sao Paulo, Brazil

Estimated population, 2023: 21,486,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,409 square miles (or 3,649 square km) — #18 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 15,249 people per square mile — #369 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $261.64 billion — #41 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: Latin America and Caribbean
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

11. Kolkata, WB, India

Estimated population, 2023: 21,747,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 522 square miles (or 1,352 square km) — #90 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 41,661 people per square mile — #52 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $60.44 billion — #215 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: South Asia
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

10. Mexico City, Mexico

Estimated population, 2023: 21,905,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 977 square miles (or 2,530 square km) — #39 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 22,421 people per square mile — #211 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $250.45 billion — #47 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: Latin America and Caribbean
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

9. Cairo, Egypt

Estimated population, 2023: 22,679,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,041 square miles (or 2,696 square km) — #35 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 21,786 people per square mile — #221 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $102.00 billion — #130 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: Middle East and North Africa
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

8. Seoul-Incheon, South Korea

Estimated population, 2023: 23,225,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,069 square miles (or 2,769 square km) — #34 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 21,726 people per square mile — #223 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $926.79 billion — #5 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): High income

7. Shanghai, SHG-JS-ZJ, China

Estimated population, 2023: 24,042,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,673 square miles (or 4,333 square km) — #13 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 14,371 people per square mile — #401 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $663.87 billion — #10 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

6. Manila, Philippines

Estimated population, 2023: 24,156,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 738 square miles (or 1,911 square km) — #56 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 32,732 people per square mile — #97 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $192.60 billion — #66 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

5. Mumbai, MH, India

Estimated population, 2023: 25,189,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 404 square miles (or 1,046 square km) — #120 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 62,349 people per square mile — #11 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $277.98 billion — #37 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: South Asia
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

4. Guangzhou-Foshan, GD, China

Estimated population, 2023: 27,119,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,754 square miles (or 4,543 square km) — #12 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 15,461 people per square mile — #360 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $405.35 billion — #27 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

3. Delhi, DL-UP-HR, India

Estimated population, 2023: 31,190,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 905 square miles (or 2,344 square km) — #43 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 34,464 people per square mile — #88 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: N/A
World Bank geographical region: South Asia
Country class (World Bank): Lower middle income

2. Jakarta, Indonesia

Estimated population, 2023: 35,386,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 1,369 square miles (or 3,546 square km) — #22 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 25,848 people per square mile — #162 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $308.25 billion — #33 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): Upper middle income

1. Tokyo-Yokohama, Japan

Estimated population, 2023: 37,785,000
Built up urban area, 2023: 3,388 square miles (or 8,775 square km) — #3 largest of 986 urban areas
Population density: 11,153 people per square mile — #547 densest of 986 urban areas
Est. GDP, 2023: $2,055.69 billion — #1 largest metro economy
World Bank geographical region: East Asia and Pacific
Country class (World Bank): High income

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