Megacities... Capitals... Giants... Many people enjoy their share of living in such cities. The advantages are obvious to them: civilization, financial opportunities, easy success in life. Others get tired of the bustle, gloom, indifference and suffocating atmosphere of huge capitals, and prefer the calm and good-natured atmosphere of small towns. To each his own!
Well, we'll talk about who and where "to live happily and well." So, the most populated cities in the world - TOP 2012
First place. Divide two cities!
As you may have guessed, the most populated city, by definition, should be in China. This is Shanghai. But, surprisingly, due to its huge area, the mileage of which is about 6400 sq. km. - the population density in it is not as high as in other cities - our leaders. So the dear Chinese still have plenty of room to breed. Shanghai is home to 23 million. Let them not be sad, in some regions, it turns out, things are even worse. For example, in Jokarta (Indonesia), a population of over 26 million lives on an area of 660 square kilometers.
On the second place our TOP - Mumbai, India. About 22 million people live there on a rather small area of the municipal corporation (600 sq. km). It is almost the most densely populated city in the world, with a population density of over 23,000 people per square kilometer. I wonder what they breathe there?
On the third place everything is not so tragic - Turkish Istanbul, a beautiful city with amazing architecture, unique nature, ancient cultural and historical heritage. This once majestic capital of Byzantium and the Ostman Empire still arouses keen interest. About 17 million people live in the city, but the population density leaves no reason for concern.
On the fourth place Delhi, successfully competing with Istanbul, it already occupies a leading position. More than 22 million people live in a rather small area of 432 sq. km. Threatening population density reaches almost 30 thousand people per sq. km. Today it is the most densely populated city in the world. Although slightly smaller than Mumbai, Delhi is the capital. India leads in terms of density and population of its cities. This has its pros as well as its cons. In Seoul (Republic of Korea), the population is about 23 million inhabitants, which allows it to share this 4th place of honor with Delhi.
On the fifth place Karachi, Pakistan. More than 18 million live in the city, with a population density even lower than in Moscow. Luxurious city.
On the sixth place Cairo (Egypt) and Beijing (PRC) - the population of these cities is just over 17 million inhabitants.
On the seventh place Sao Paulo, sunny Brazil. Everything is wonderful there - 13.6 million in a huge city! Rejoicing and having fun. Wonderful!
On the eighth place- Tokyo with its 13 million residents. Growth prospects are very high!
On the ninth place- Moscow. The largest city in Europe in terms of population, however! Moscow will continue to strengthen its leading positions. And of course, the population of Russia's largest city, its capital, already exceeds 11.9 million and is constantly growing.
And finally, on tenth place– Lagos, Nigeria, which has a population of more than 13 million, but its density is quite high - about 8 thousand people per sq. km.
Unfortunately, many cities have not yet entered our TOP of the largest and most densely populated cities in the world. But in general, the picture is more rosy for some, sadder for others. Let us hope for the best!
Large settlements appeared on the planet as early as 7000-5000 years. BC e. Centuries passed, buildings changed and grew, civilization developed, and more and more citizens became. In the middle of the 19th century, megacities appeared - colossal anthills that became home to millions of inhabitants. Urbanization has come into its own.
According to the United Nations, as of 2018, more than 24 million people live in each of the world's most populated cities (agglomerations).
Area - 2,745 km2, number of inhabitants - 24,210,000, population density - 8,800 people. / km2. In 4000 B.C. e. on the banks of the Hangang River, in the heart of the Korean Peninsula, the first settlements appeared. In 18 BC. e. Vireson was created - the city that became the capital of the state of Baekje. In 1948, the settlement, surrounded by fells and hills, was named Seoul. Today, the capital of the Land of Morning Calm resembles a futuristic city of the future, in which a quarter of the population of the state lives. If you climb one of the mountains surrounding it, you can see bizarre skyscrapers, neon signs and helicopters starting from the roofs. More than 20 thousand enterprises are concentrated here, and the headquarters of world holdings are located.
Along with giant houses and ultra-modern buildings, the city has green parks, ancient pagodas, ancient palaces and Buddhist temples. Seoul cherishes its heritage. The capital of the Republic of Korea invites travelers to get acquainted with the masterpieces of architecture: the palaces of Changdeokgung, Gyeongbokgung, Deoksugung and the Jongmyo Shrine. And here, a 1,140-meter bridge-fountain shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow was built, connecting the banks of the Hangang.
Area - 1,813 km2, number of inhabitants - 24,650,000, population density - 13,600 people. / km2. Manila is a sunny metropolis on the island of Luzon, the capital of the Philippines and a complex puzzle assembled from several cities connected into a single agglomeration. The cultural, economic and political center of the country makes a double impression. On the one hand, these are ultra-modern areas, striking with futuristic buildings and giant shopping centers, on the other hand, devastation, poverty of urban slums, miles of traffic jams and street sewage. Pasig flows here - one of the dirtiest rivers on the planet.
The metropolis combines dilapidated huts, modern buildings and architectural evidence of the Spanish colonial era, creating a unique atmosphere that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. For guests of Manila, experienced tourists recommend visiting Binondo Chinatown, founded in 1594, Manila Cathedral, Drum Fort, San Sebastian Church, Coconut Palace and Rizal Park, dedicated to the Philippine leader of the liberation movement Jose Rizal.
Area - 2,202 km2, number of inhabitants - 27,280,000, population density - 12,400 people. / km2. In the north-west of India, on the banks of the Yamuna River, lies Delhi - the capital and the most rapidly developing city in the country. According to UN statistics, about 36 million people will live here in 2030. Today Delhi is a huge number of cars, the usual chaos of the streets, historical monuments and the scent of flowering gardens. The city is divided into two dissimilar parts. Built by the British, New Delhi shows a continuous whirlpool of life, dazzling with the brilliance of modern buildings, nightclubs and five-star hotels. Old Delhi immerses its guests in the mysterious atmosphere of narrow streets, low buildings and an unimaginable crowd of people and domestic animals.
The main Indian metropolis is one of the oldest settlements in the country. The city of Indraprastha, which in 756 CE e. renamed Delhi, was formed 5 thousand years ago. Its eventful and long history is reflected in its popular attractions - 60,000 of which are on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.
Area - 3,302 km2, number of inhabitants - 32,275,000, population density - 9,800 people. / km2. Once in the capital of Indonesia and the largest settlement of the state, travelers experience conflicting feelings. Arriving in the metropolis, they are immersed in the atmosphere of giant skyscrapers, panel houses, anthills, poor neighborhoods and busy streets. Jakarta ranks as the 3rd most polluted metropolitan area in the world. Due to the lack of a modern waste recycling system, citizens burn their waste in their yards.
But those who have learned to ignore the ineradicable smog, ubiquitous dirt and urban landscapes will be rewarded. The city in the north-west of the island of Java, the first mention of which dates back to 397, carefully preserves the great monuments of history: the Istiklal Mosque, the Jine-Yuan Temple and the Taman-Sari water palace complex. There is also something for beach lovers to do. On the north coast lies the Thousand Islands - an archipelago consisting of 110 small tropical islands - a paradise for fans of untouched nature, crystal clear waters and fantastic corals.
The most populated city in the world is Tokyo.. Area - 8,547 km2, number of inhabitants - 38,050,000, population density - 4,500 people. / km2. Tokyo is home to 29% of all citizens of the Land of the Rising Sun. Multi-level urbanization, the intricacies of railway lines and roads, the limited space - this is what the city offers to its inhabitants. The size of a standard apartment here does not exceed 15 m2. A huge number of people who have chosen the metropolis and the suburbs included in the agglomeration as their home has led to an increase in temperature - here it is 10 ° C above average. But despite the overcrowding, Tokyo is famous for the ideal cleanliness of the streets and safety.
In terms of architecture, the capital of Japan is an inexpressive place filled with laconic buildings and high-tech facilities. Therefore, the sights of Tokyo, witnesses of its 561-year history, are of particular value. The pearl of the metropolis is the Imperial Palace, surrounded by a picturesque park, canals and ancient buildings. The special eastern energy of the city can be felt by visiting the Meiji Shrine and the Asakusa quarter, which has absorbed Buddhist temples, the Kaminarimon ritual gates and the oldest Nakamise shopping street.
The origins of the city on the Moscow River go back to 1147. However, according to archaeologists, the first settlements appeared here as early as the 2nd millennium BC. e. Over the centuries, Belokamennaya has seen many events. The ancient walls witnessed the invasion of the horde of Batu Khan in 1238, and the liberation from the Polish invaders in 1612, and the fire of 1812, and the Victory Parade of 1945. The history of the capital is reflected in its sights, 4 of which - the Novodevichy Convent, the Kremlin, the Church of the Ascension and Red Square - are included in the UNESCO List of Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Today Moscow is a multifaceted city that has absorbed the greenery of picturesque parks, the grandeur of wide avenues, big traffic jams, the silence of sleeping areas.
The most densely populated cities in the world, with population densities in the tens of thousands per km2, are Seoul, Manila, Delhi, Jakarta and Tokyo. All of them are located in Asia, and this is an inexplicable paradox. After all, according to statistics, Asian countries are distinguished by a significant preponderance of the inhabitants of villages and villages (65% of the total population) over the townspeople (35%).
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There are cities in the world with a large population. And nothing else if the city occupies a large territory, and the population density in it is small. And if the city has very little land? It happens after all, that the country is small, but around the city there are rocks and the sea? So the city has to build up. At the same time, the population per square kilometer is growing rapidly. The city goes from simple to densely populated. We immediately note that it is population density that is taken into account here, while there are other ratings, where megacities are located by area, number of inhabitants, number of skyscrapers, as well as many other parameters. You can find most of these ratings on LifeGlobe. We will go directly to our list. So what are the biggest cities in the world?
Top 10 most populous cities in the world:
1. Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city in China and one of the largest cities in the world, located in the Yangtze River Delta. One of the four cities of the central subordination of the PRC, an important financial and cultural center of the country, as well as the world's largest seaport. By the beginning of the XX century. Shanghai has evolved from a small fishing town to China's most important city and the world's third financial center after London and New York. In addition, the city became the focus of popular culture, vice, intellectual disputes and political intrigue in Republican China. Shanghai is the financial and commercial center of China.
Market reforms in Shanghai began in 1992, a decade later than in the southern provinces. Prior to this, most of the city's income went irrevocably to Beijing. Even after the tax relief in 1992, tax revenues from Shanghai accounted for 20-25% of those from all of China (before the 1990s, this figure was about 70%). Today, Shanghai is the largest and most developed city in mainland China. In 2005, Shanghai became the world's largest port in terms of cargo turnover (443 million tons of cargo).
According to the 2000 census, the population of the whole of Shanghai (including the non-urban area) is 16.738 million, this figure also includes temporary residents in Shanghai, whose number is 3.871 million. Since the last census in 1990, the population of Shanghai has increased by 3.396 million or 25.5%. Men make up 51.4% of the city's population, women - 48.6%. Children under 14 years old make up 12.2% of the population, the age group 15-64 years old - 76.3%, the elderly over 65 - 11.5%. 5.4% of Shanghai's population is illiterate.
In 2003, there were 13.42 million officially registered residents in Shanghai, and more than 5 million people. live and work informally in Shanghai, of which about 4 million are seasonal workers, mainly from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. The average life expectancy in 2003 was 79.80 years (men - 77.78 years, women - 81.81 years).
Like many other regions in China, Shanghai is experiencing a construction boom. The modern architecture of Shanghai is distinguished by its unique style - in particular, the upper floors of high-rise buildings, occupied by restaurants, are shaped like flying saucers. Most of the buildings under construction in Shanghai today are high-rise residential buildings, varying in height, color and design. Organizations responsible for urban development planning are now increasingly focusing on the creation of green spaces and parks within residential complexes to improve the quality of life of Shanghainese people, which is in line with the slogan of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai: "Better City - Better Life".
Historically, Shanghai was very westernized, and now it is again taking on the role of the main center of communication between China and the West. One example of this is the opening of the information center for the exchange of medical knowledge between Western and Chinese health institutions Pac-Med Medical Exchange. Pudong has houses and streets that are very similar to the business and residential areas of modern American and Western European cities. Nearby are major international shopping and hotel areas. Despite the high population density and large number of visitors, Shanghai is known for a very low crime rate towards foreigners.
As of January 1, 2009, the population of Shanghai is 18,884,600, if the area of this city is 6,340 sq. km, and the population density is 2,683 people per sq. km.
2. Karachi
KARACHI, the largest city, the main economic center and seaport of Pakistan, is located near the Indus River Delta, 100 km from its confluence with the Arabian Sea. The administrative center of the province of Sindh. The population in 2004 is 10.89 million people. It arose at the beginning of the 18th century. on the site of the Baloch fishing village Kalachi. From the end of the 18th century under the rulers of Sind from the Talpur dynasty, it was the main Sindh maritime and trading center on the Arabian coast.
In 1839 it became a naval base of Great Britain, in 1843-1847 - the capital of the province of Sindh, and then the main city of the region, which was part of the Bombay Presidency. Since 1936 - the capital of the province of Sindh. In 1947-1959 it was the capital of Pakistan. The favorable geographical position of the city, located in a convenient natural harbor, contributed to its rapid growth and development during the colonial period, and especially after the partition of British India into two independent states in 1947 - India and Pakistan.
The transformation of Karachi into the main political and economic center of the country led to a rapid population growth, mainly due to the influx of immigrants from outside: in 1947-1955. from 350 thousand people up to 1.5 million people. Karachi is the largest city in the country and is one of the largest cities in the world. The main trade, economic and financial center of Pakistan, a seaport (15% of GDP and 25% of tax revenues to the budget).
About 49% of the country's industrial production is concentrated in Karachi and its suburbs. Plants: a metallurgical plant (the largest in the country, built with the assistance of the USSR, 1975-85), oil refineries, machine-building, car assembly, ship repair, chemical, cement plants, enterprises of the pharmaceutical, tobacco, textile, food (sugar) industries (concentrated in several industrial zones : CITY - Sind Industrial Trading Estate, Landhi, Malir, Korangi, etc.
The largest commercial banks, branches of foreign banks, central offices and branches of insurance companies, stock and cotton exchanges, offices of the largest trading companies (including foreign ones). International Airport (1992). The port of Karachi (cargo turnover over 9 million tons per year) serves up to 90% of the country's maritime trade and is the largest port in South Asia. Naval base.
The largest cultural and scientific center: university, research institutions, Aga Khan University of Medical Sciences, Hamdard Foundation Center for Oriental Medicine, National Museum of Pakistan, Naval Forces Museum. Zoo (in the former City Gardens, 1870). Mausoleum of Qaid-i Azam M. A. Jinnah (1950s), University of Sindh (founded in 1951, M. Ecoshar), Art Center (1960). from local pink limestone and sandstone.
The business center of Karachi - Shara-i-Faisal streets, Jinnah Road and Chandrigar Road with buildings mainly of the 19th-20th centuries: the High Court (early 20th century, neoclassical), the Pearl Continental Hotel (1962), architects W. Tabler and Z. Pathan), State Bank (1961, architects J. L. Ricci and A. Kayum). To the northwest of Jinnah Road is the Old Town with narrow streets, one- and two-story houses. In the south - the fashionable area of Clifton, built up mainly with villas. Buildings of the 19th century are also distinguished. in the Indo-Gothic style - Frere Hall (1865) and Express Market (1889). Saddar, Zamzama, Tarik Road are the main shopping streets of the city, where hundreds of shops and shops are located. A significant number of modern high-rise buildings, luxury hotels (Avari, Marriott, Sheraton) and shopping centers.
In 2009, the population of this city is 18,140,625, the area is 3,530 sq. km, the population density is 5,139 people. per km.sq.
3.Istanbul
One of the main reasons for the transformation of Istanbul into a world metropolis was the geographical position of the city. Istanbul, located at the intersection of 48 degrees north latitude and 28 degrees east longitude, is the only city in the world that is located on two continents. Istanbul lies on 14 hills, each of which has its own name, but now we will not bore you with listing them.
The following should be noted - the city consists of three unequal parts, into which it is divided by the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn (a small bay 7 km long). On the European side: a historical peninsula located in the south of the Golden Horn, and in the north of the Golden Horn - the districts of Beyolu, Galata, Taksim, Besiktas, on the Asian side - the "New City". On the European continent there are numerous commercial and service centers, on the Asian - mostly residential areas.
Overall, Istanbul, 150 km long and 50 km wide, has an approximate area of 7,500 km. But no one knows its true borders, it is about to merge with the city of Izmit in the east. With continuous migration from villages (up to 500,000 per year), the population is intensively increasing. Every year, 1,000 new streets appear in the city, and new residential areas are built up in the west-east axis.
The population is constantly increasing by 5% per year, i.e. doubles every 12 years. Every 5 resident of Turkey lives in Istanbul. The number of tourists visiting this marvelous city reaches 1.5 million. The population itself is not exactly known to anyone, officially, according to the latest census, 12 million people lived in the city, although now this figure has increased to 15 million, and some argue that 20 million people already live in Istanbul.
Tradition says that the founder of the city in the 7th century BC. there was a Megarian leader Byzant, to whom the Delphic oracle predicted where it would be better to arrange a new settlement. The place really turned out to be very successful - a cape between two seas - the Black and Marble, half in Europe, half in Asia. In the IV century AD. The Roman emperor Constantine chose the settlement of Byzantium to build the new capital of the empire, which was named Constantinople in his honor.
After the fall of Rome in 410, Constantinople finally established itself as the undisputed political center of the empire, which from then on was no longer called Roman, but Byzantine. The city reached its highest prosperity under the emperor Justinian. It was the center of fabulous wealth and incredible luxury. In the 9th century, the population of Constantinople numbered about a million people!
The main streets had sidewalks and sheds, they were decorated with fountains and columns. It is believed that a copy of Constantinople architecture is represented by Venice, where bronze horses are installed on the portal of the Cathedral of St. In 2009, the population of this city is 16,767,433, the area is 2,106 sq. km, the population density is 6,521 people. per sq. km
4.Tokyo
Tokyo is the capital of Japan, its administrative, financial, cultural and industrial center. It is located in the southeastern part of the island of Honshu, on the Kanto plain in the bay of the Tokyo Bay of the Pacific Ocean. Area - 2 187 sq. km. Population - 15,570,000 people. The population density is 5,740 people/km2, the highest among the prefectures of Japan.
Officially, Tokyo is not a city, but one of the prefectures, more precisely, the metropolitan area, the only one in this class. Its territory, in addition to part of the island of Honshu, includes several small islands to the south of it, as well as the islands of Izu and Ogasawara. Tokyo District consists of 62 administrative divisions - cities, towns and rural communities. When they say "the city of Tokyo", they usually mean the 23 special districts included in the metropolitan area, which from 1889 to 1943 constituted the administrative unit of the city of Tokyo, and now they themselves are equated in status to cities; each has its own mayor and city council. The metropolitan government is headed by a popularly elected governor. The government headquarters is located in Shinjuku, which is the county's municipal seat. Tokyo is also home to the state government and the Tokyo Imperial Palace (the obsolete name is also used - Tokyo Imperial Castle) - the main residence of the Japanese emperors.
Although the Tokyo area was inhabited by tribes as early as the Stone Age, the city began to play an active role in history relatively recently. In the 12th century, a fort was built here by the local Edo warrior Taro Shigenada. According to tradition, he received the name Edo from his place of residence. In 1457, Ota Dokan, ruler of the Kanto region under the Japanese shogunate, built Edo Castle. In 1590, it was taken over by Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder of the shogun clan. Thus, Edo became the capital of the shogunate, while Kyoto remained the imperial capital. Ieyasu created long-term management institutions.
The city grew rapidly and by the 18th century became one of the largest cities in the world. In 1615, Ieyasu's armies destroyed their opponents - the Toyotomi clan, thereby gaining absolute power for about 250 years. As a result of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the shogunate came to an end, in September, Emperor Mutsuhito moved the capital here, calling it the "Eastern Capital" - Tokyo. This sparked a debate whether Kyoto could still be the capital. In the second half of the 19th century, industry began to develop rapidly, followed by shipbuilding.
The Tokyo-Yokohama railway was built in 1872, and the Kobe-Osaka-Tokyo railway in 1877. Until 1869 the city was called Edo. On September 1, 1923, the largest earthquake (7-9 on the Richter scale) occurred in Tokyo and the surrounding area. Almost half of the city was destroyed, a strong fire broke out. About 90,000 people became victims. Although the reconstruction plan turned out to be very expensive, the city began to partially recover. The city was again seriously damaged during World War II. The city was subjected to massive air attacks.
More than 100,000 inhabitants were killed in one raid alone. Many wooden buildings burned down, the old Imperial Palace suffered. After the war, Tokyo was occupied by the military, during the Korean War it became a major military center. Several American bases still remain here (Yokota military base, etc.). In the middle of the 20th century, the country's economy began to rapidly revive (which was described as the "Economic Miracle"), in 1966 it became the second largest economy in the world. The revival from war injuries was proved by the hosting of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where the city showed itself favorably on the international stage.
Since the 1970s, Tokyo has been flooded with a wave of labor from rural areas, which led to the further development of the city. By the end of the 1980s, it had become one of the most dynamically developing cities in the world. On March 20, 1995, there was a gas attack on the Tokyo subway using sarin. The attack was carried out by the religious sect Aum Shinrikyo. As a result, more than 5,000 people were injured, 11 of them died. Seismic activity in the Tokyo area has led to discussions about moving Japan's capital to another city. Three candidates have been named: Nasu (300 km north), Higashino (near Nagano, central Japan) and a new city in Mie province, near Nagoya (450 km west of Tokyo).
The government's decision has already been received, although no further action is being taken. At present, Tokyo continues to develop. Projects for the creation of artificial islands are being consistently implemented. The most notable project is Odaiba, which is now a major shopping and entertainment center.
5. Mumbai
The history of the emergence of Mumbai - a dynamic modern city, the financial capital of India and the administrative center of the state of Maharashtra - is quite unusual. In 1534, the Sultan of Gujarat ceded a group of seven useless islands to the Portuguese, who, in turn, gave them to the Portuguese princess Catharina of Braganza on her wedding day to King Charles II of England in 1661. In 1668, the British government surrendered the islands leased to the East India Company for 10 pounds of gold a year, and gradually Mumbai grew into a center of trade.
In 1853, the first railway line in the subcontinent was laid from Mumbai to Thane, and in 1862, a colossal land management project turned the seven islands into a single whole - Mumbai embarked on the path of becoming the largest metropolis. During its existence, the city changed its name four times, and for those who are not an expert in geography, its former name, Bombay, is more familiar. Mumbai, after the historical name of the area, became known again in 1997. Today it is a lively city with a strong character: the largest industrial and commercial center, it is still actively interested in theater and other arts. Mumbai is also home to India's main film industry, Bollywood.
Mumbai is India's most populous city with a population of 13,922,125 in 2009. Together with satellite cities, it forms the fifth largest urban agglomeration in the world with a population of 21.3 million people. The area occupied by Greater Mumbai is 603.4 square meters. km. The city stretched along the coast of the Arabian Sea for 140 km.
6. Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina, the administrative, cultural and economic center of the country and one of the largest cities in South America.
Buenos Aires is located at a distance of 275 km from the Atlantic Ocean in a well-protected bay of La Plata Bay, on the right bank of the Riachuelo River. The average air temperature in July is +10 degrees, and in January +24. The amount of precipitation in the city is - 987 mm per year. The capital is located in the northeastern part of Argentina, on a flat area, in a subtropical natural zone. The natural vegetation of the surroundings of the city is represented by species of trees and grasses typical of meadow steppes and savannahs. The large Buenos Aires includes 18 suburbs, the total area is 3646 square kilometers.
The population of the Argentine capital proper is 3,050,728 (2009 estimate) people, which is 275 thousand (9.9%) more than it was in 2001 (2,776,138, census). In total, the urban agglomeration, including numerous suburbs immediately adjacent to the capital, is home to 13,356,715 (2009 estimate). Residents of Buenos Aires have a half-joking nickname - porteños (lit. residents of the port). The population of the capital and suburbs is rapidly increasing, including due to the immigration of guest workers from Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru and other neighboring countries.
The city is very multiethnic, but the main division of communities occurs along class lines, and not along racial lines, as in the United States. The majority of the population are Spaniards and Italians, descendants of both the settlers of the Spanish colonial period 1550-1815 and the larger wave of European immigrants to Argentina in 1880-1940. About 30% are mestizos and representatives of other nationalities, among which communities stand out: Arabs, Jews, British, Armenians, Japanese, Chinese and Koreans, there is also a large number of immigrants from neighboring countries, primarily from Bolivia and Paraguay, recently from Korea , China and Africa.
During the colonial period, groups of Indians, mestizos and Negro slaves were noticeable in the city, gradually dissolving into the southern European population, although their cultural and genetic influences are still felt today. Thus, the genes of modern residents of the capital are quite mixed compared to white Europeans: on average, the genes of the inhabitants of the capital are 71.2% European, 23.5% Indian and 5.3% African. At the same time, depending on the quarter, African impurities vary from 3.5% to 7.0%, and Indian from 14.0% to 33%.
The official language in the capital is Spanish. Other languages - Italian, Portuguese, English, German and French - are now practically out of use as mother tongues due to the mass assimilation of immigrants from the second half of the 19th - early 19th century. XX centuries., but are still taught as foreign. During the period of the mass influx of Italians (especially Neapolitans), a mixed Italian-Spanish sociolect lunfardo spread in the city, gradually disappearing, but leaving traces in the local language variant of the Spanish language (See Spanish in Argentina).
Among the believing population of the city, the majority are adherents of Catholicism, a small part of the inhabitants of the capital profess Islam and Judaism, but in general, the level of religiosity is extremely low, as the secular-liberal way of life prevails. The city is divided into 47 administrative districts, the division was originally based on reference to Catholic parishes, and remained so until 1940.
7. Dhaka
The name of the city is formed from the name of the Hindu goddess of fertility Durga or from the name of the tropical tree Dhaka, which gives valuable resin. Dhaka is located on the northern bank of the turbulent Buriganda River almost in the center of the country and looks more like the legendary Babylon than the modern capital. Dhaka is a river port in the delta of the Ganges Brahmaputra, as well as a center for water tourism. Despite the fact that travel by water is quite slow, water transport in the country is well developed, safe and widely used.
The oldest section of the city, lying north of the coastline, is an ancient trading center for the Mughal Empire. In the Old City there is an unfinished fortress - Fort LaBad, dating from 1678, which houses the mausoleum of Bibi Pari (1684). It is also worth paying attention to more than 700 mosques, including the famous Hussein Dalan, located in the old City. Now the old City is a vast area between the two main water transport terminals, Sadarghat and Badam Tole, where the experience of observing the daily life of the river is especially charming and interesting. Also in the old part of the city there are traditional large oriental bazaars.
The population of the city is 9,724,976 inhabitants (2006), with suburbs - 12,560 thousand people (2005).
8. Manila
Manila is the capital and main city of the Central Region of the Republic of the Philippines, which occupies the Philippine Islands in the Pacific Ocean. In the west, the islands are washed by the South China Sea, in the north they are adjacent to Taiwan through the Bashi Strait. Located on the island of Luzon (the largest in the archipelago), the metropolis of Manila includes, in addition to Manila itself, four more cities and 13 municipalities.
The name of the city comes from two Tagalog (local Filipino) words "may" meaning "to be" and "nilad" - the name of the original settlement located on the banks of the Pasig River and the bay. Before the conquest of Manila by the Spaniards in 1570, Muslim tribes lived on the islands, who were intermediaries in the trade of the Chinese with South Asian merchants. After a fierce struggle, the Spaniards occupied the ruins of Manila, which the natives set on fire to escape the invaders. After 20 years, the Spaniards returned and built defensive structures.
In 1595, Manila became the capital of the Archipelago. From that time until the 19th century, Manila was the center of trade between the Philippines and Mexico. With the arrival of Europeans, the Chinese were limited in free trade and repeatedly rebelled against the colonists. In 1898, the Americans invaded the Philippines, and after several years of war, the Spaniards ceded their colony to them. Then the American-Philippine war began, which ended in 1935 with the independence of the islands. During the period of US domination, several enterprises of the light and food industries, oil refineries, and the production of building materials were opened in Manila.
During World War II, the Philippines was occupied by the Japanese. The state gained its final independence in 1946. Currently, Manila is the main seaport, financial and industrial center of the country. The plants and factories of the capital produce electrical engineering, chemicals, clothes, foodstuffs, tobacco, etc. The city has several low-priced markets and shopping centers that attract visitors from all over the Republic. In recent years, the role of tourism has been growing.
In 2009, the population of this city is 12,285,000.
9 Delhi
Delhi is the capital of India, a city of 13 million people that most travelers cannot miss. A city in which all the classic Indian contrasts are fully manifested - grandiose temples and dirty slums, bright holidays of life and quiet death in the gateways. A city in which it is difficult for a simple Russian person to live for more than two weeks, after which he will begin to quietly go crazy - incessant movement, general fuss, noise and din, an abundance of dirt and poverty will be a good test for you.
Like any city with a thousand-year history, Delhi has many interesting places worth visiting. Most of them are located in two districts of the city - Old and New Delhi, between which there is the Pahar Ganj area, where most independent travelers stop. Some of the most interesting sights in Delhi include the Jama Masjid Mosque, Lodhi Garden, Humayun Tomb, Qutab Minar, Lotus Temple, Lakshmi Narayana Temple, military fortresses Lal Qila and Purana Qila.
For 2009, the population of this city is 11,954,217
10. Moscow
The city of Moscow is a huge metropolis, consisting of nine administrative districts, which include one hundred and twenty administrative districts, on the territory of Moscow there are many parks, gardens, forest parks.
The first written mention of Moscow dates back to 1147. But the settlements on the site of the modern city were much earlier, in a time remote from us, according to some historians, by 5 thousand years. However, all this belongs to the realm of legends and conjectures. No matter how everything happens, but in the XIII century Moscow is the center of an independent principality, and by the end of the XV century. it becomes the capital of the emerging unified Russian state. Since then, Moscow has been one of the largest cities in Europe. For centuries, Moscow has been an outstanding center of all-Russian culture, science, and art.
The largest city in Russia and Europe in terms of population (population as of July 1, 2009 - 10.527 million people), the center of the Moscow urban agglomeration. It is also one of the ten largest cities in the world.
February 15, 2013 | Categories: Places , Topper
Rating: +7 Article Author: Soul Views: 699557The modern rhythm of life dictates conditions that could not even be imagined 100 years ago. Most of humanity tends to live in big cities, which means that the population density (the number of people living in one square kilometer) is constantly growing. The world's most populous city is home to as many people today as there were in all of North America in 1850.
The capital of the Philippines, the most populous metropolis in the world. With a small area of 38.5 km2, the city is home to 1.66 million people, which is an unprecedented density of 43,079 people/km2. It is quite difficult to imagine such crowding - it's like putting all the inhabitants shoulder to shoulder in a cube of 20 man-rows located one above the other. And in a separate area, No. 6, a density of 68,266 people / km2 was noted.
The most populous city suffers from typical environmental problems due to Manila's underdeveloped infrastructure. There are several dead rivers within the metropolis, and up to 200 tons of waste are dumped into the largest one, Pasig, daily (!) In addition - open landfills, air pollution from transport and industrial waste. Only 10% of wastewater is treated. Traffic jams contribute to the emission of thousands of tons of gases into the atmosphere, which exceeds all permissible standards.
Formerly Bombay, India's largest city with a population of 12.48 million. The state capital of Maharashtra has the second highest population density in the world with 21,665 people per square kilometer.
Mumbai is a city of contrasts where luxury meets poverty at every turn. It is the largest port in India and the largest hub for international traffic, through which half of all passengers in the country pass. It is a cosmopolitan city where Asian and European cultures coexist peacefully. Interestingly, crime here is moderate, despite the huge number of men who come to work.
Environmental problems have not escaped Mumbai - the level of littering of the Ulhas River in some places reaches 80%, since city drains do not undergo preliminary treatment. The degree of air pollution exceeds the norm by 3 times and affects the lungs like smoking 10 cigarettes (per day).
The population of 2.24 million people living in an area of 105 km2 is a density of 21,289 people/km2. In Paris, the majority of residents are young people, and the number of foreigners is 15%. The city, which can be walked around in a few hours, experiences all the delights of a huge metropolis.
Smog, noise and traffic emissions, lack of green spaces are the main problems of Paris. But the government is trying to solve these issues: trees are planted everywhere on the roofs of houses, the quality of water in the Seine has improved by an order of magnitude in recent years.
All industrial production is gradually withdrawn from the city, thereby reducing soil pollution. Every day, a special probe is launched over the city, the color of which changes depending on the composition of the air. And the data can be seen on many scoreboards of the city, along with temperature and time.
Autonomy in China, where 541 thousand people live on an area of 27 square kilometers, which is a density of 20,044 people / km2. The former island became a peninsula due to the drainage of coastal areas. Interestingly, one of the most densely populated cities in the world has a very low birth rate - 9 babies per 1,000 inhabitants. Most of the population growth is due to migration.
The city's economy is based on the gambling business (70% of the city's budget), the textile and tobacco industries, and fishing. The unemployment rate is low - 4%, general literacy is high - 95% of the population.
A dwarf state, one of the most densely populated in the world, in which 35,986 people live on 2 square kilometers, which is a population density of 18,285 people / km2. The main sources of income in the state: gambling, tourism and coverage of the life of the royal family. Residents are quite successfully trying to take new territories from the sea for the construction of residences on concrete islands.
The capital of Catalonia was no exception - 1.6 million inhabitants were compactly located on an area of 100 km2, which amounted to a density of 16,056 people / km2. The size of Barcelona is limited by two rivers and a mountain range, so it can only grow in height.
This is a large industrial city that cares about the environment - a lot of new products that reduce the harmful effects on the planet are successfully used in construction. New roads are made of photocatalytic concrete that absorbs nitrogen oxides and converts them into harmless compounds. Roads are lit with stones, without electrical energy, using only solar energy. The citizens themselves care about the environment - they massively switched to bicycles, and the government went along by increasing the number of bike lanes at the expense of car lanes. Roofs of houses are being greened up.
The capital of Bangladesh, located in the world's largest river delta, is simply catastrophically overpopulated. The population of 9.72 million lives on an area of 816 km2, which is a density of 11,918 people per km2. And this is only according to official data (and according to unofficial data - twice as much). The country is ranked 169th in the world in terms of environmental performance index, which is determined by the criteria of the health of the nation and the viability of the ecosystem.
The literacy rate of the population is quite low - 68%, a third of the townspeople live below the poverty line (up to $ 5 a day). The main mode of transport is motorcycles and cycle rickshaws, which cause traffic jams. A large percentage of the population uses rivers as a means of transport, which negatively affects its condition - all tourists note an incredible smell near the water. The banks of the rivers resemble garbage dumps, with tons of garbage that has not been cleaned for years. Add to this the constant floods and other natural disasters that the government has been able to manage with varying degrees of success.
A city-state located on 63 islands, which limits its area (718 km2) and creates a population density of 7,437 people / km2. There is a program of reclamation of territories, thanks to which the city of Lion is gradually increasing.
For 30 years this country has managed to solve many of its problems and become a developed state with a high standard of living. In the 60s, residents imported drinking water and sand for construction, and now Singapore has surpassed Switzerland in terms of the size of placed banking assets. There is a transparent market system and almost complete absence of corruption (the salary of Singaporean judges is about $1 million a year). The crime rate is very low, for drugs and murder - the death penalty.
5% of the entire territory of Singapore is protected areas. The fact that here they know how to take care of the environment is evidenced by the fact that the city is in 5th place in the world in terms of environmental efficiency index.
The capital of Japan is home to 13.37 million people with a population density of 6,108 people / km2, which is due to the geographical location of the city - it is located on the island of Honshu with several small ones around. Projects to create artificial islands are being gradually implemented, which is the only way to expand the area.
The city is located in a zone of seismic activity and there have been repeated questions about moving the capital to a safer place. The government is trying to make life easier for residents of the metropolis, which ranks third in the country in terms of the number of diseases associated with environmental problems, with electric taxis, green rooftop gardens, oxygen tanks on the streets for children.
But at the same time, according to a survey by the British Economist magazine in 2015, Tokyo was recognized as the safest city in the world.
Interestingly, the most populated city in the world, which currently has 24.2 million people, has a density of only 3,809 people/km2. This port city of China has become the most important financial and industrial center for some 200 years from a small fishing village.
High-rise buildings are the prerogative of today's construction in the city, which is quite understandable in the conditions of such a metropolis. By the number of skyscrapers, this is the main Chinese city - here is the famous Shanghai tower (128-storey building, the second in the world).
Despite the high population density and the number of visitors, the city has a very low percentage of crimes against foreigners.
Already, a person has to pay for the benefits of civilization and the opportunity to live in the most densely populated cities of the world. And, if a state with a developed economy has the means to make the life of the inhabitants of a metropolis better, then third world countries serve as a clear example of real monsters that destroy all life ...
There are a lot of places in the world where there is literally nowhere for an apple to fall. But often, going on a trip to another city or country, we can’t even imagine how crowded this place will turn out to be.
The UN report "The World" s Cities in 2016 "provides information on the most densely populated cities in the world, and in addition, a forecast is made of how the population of cities will grow by 2030.
Below are the 20 most populous cities in the world.
Rio de Janeiro is known for a very high level of crime, including drug trafficking, which is mainly concentrated in areas of densely populated favelas that are practically not controlled by government authorities and the police (power in them actually belongs to the most influential drug cartels).
The city is the largest tourist, industrial, financial and transportation center of China.
In Guangzhou there are about 100 wholesale markets, various types of goods and hundreds of thousands of industrial enterprises, factories, plants (shipbuilding, machine building, production of equipment for the textile and food industries, newsprint, refined sugar, small household appliances, tires, bicycles, sports equipment , porcelain, cement and chemicals, electronic components).
Population in 2016: 13 131 000It is one of the most densely populated cities in the world with a population density of 43,079 people/km². With a convenient harbor, Manila is the main port of the country and one of the busiest ports in the world.
Industry includes the production of chemicals, textiles and clothing, electronics, food and beverages, tobacco, plywood, copra, coconut oil, etc. The city attracts more than 1 million tourists a year.
Population in 2016: 13 661 000Initially, Lagos was a small settlement of the Yoruba tribe, during the European colonization and independence, it became the most important commercial center of Nigeria.
Now the city occupies almost the entire territory of the state of Lagos and consists of a large number of areas connected and separated by highways.
Population in 2016: 13 744 000Chongqing is one of the largest commercial centers in China. The leading place in the economy of the city is occupied by industry.
The main branches of industry are chemical, machine-building and metallurgical.
Chongqing has more than 1,000 research institutes, more than 400,000 scientific and technical workers, and 25 universities.
Population in 2016: 14 365 000Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, the main commercial, industrial and cultural center, the main port of the country.
It is located on the banks of the Bosphorus Strait, which divides it into the European (main) and Asian parts, connected by bridges and a metro tunnel.
The first city in Europe by population
Population in 2016: 14 980 000Calcutta is the largest economic and financial center of the entire North East India. Compared to other big cities in India, the crime rate in Kolkata is low.
Population in 2016: 15 334 000The population of the capital and suburbs is growing rapidly, including due to the immigration of guest workers from Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru and other neighboring countries.
The city is very multiethnic, but the main division of communities occurs along class lines, not racial lines.
Population in 2016: 17 121 000The city's population is estimated to be growing at about 5% per year (mainly due to internal migration), including approximately 45,000 migrant workers who come to the city every month from various parts of Pakistan.
Population in 2016: 18 237 000Annual population growth - about 4.2% (one of the highest rates among cities in Asia) - is due to the huge influx of migrants from rural areas of the country.
Population in 2016: 18 604 000Immigration is a key factor in the city's rapid population growth.
New York is the most important economic center of the United States and the whole world. New York, along with London and Tokyo, is called one of the three main centers
Population in 2016: 19 128 000The population of Cairo has grown rapidly over the past decades.
One of the reasons for this is the high birth rate and the influx of people from rural areas.
Due to the rapid growth of the city's population, several satellite cities formed near it.
Population in 2016: 20 337 000Osaka is the third largest city in Japan. Business and pleasure are intimately linked here, and have been for hundreds of years.
Business reputation is a reflection of the history of the city as a trading capital and a major commercial center.
Population in 2016: 21 157 000More than 360,000 Mexican Indians of almost all ethnic groups in the country live in the Capital Federal District.
The largest ethnic group that lives in Mexico City is the Nahua people.
Other representatives of indigenous peoples living in the federal district are not native to the region, but come from other territories.
Population in 2016: 21 240 000Beijing is home to a significant number of foreigners, mainly businessmen, representatives of foreign companies and students.
Most foreigners settle in the densely populated northern, northeastern and eastern parts of the city.
In recent years, there has been a large influx of South Koreans, who already form the largest foreign diaspora in China. Most Koreans live in the Wanjing and Wudaokou areas.
Population in 2016: 21 297 000São Paulo has the largest ethnic diversity of residents of any city in Brazil.
As in all of Brazil, the population of São Paulo is a mixture of different ethnic groups, resulting in a very diverse multi-ethnic society.
Today representatives of more than 100 ethnic groups call the city their home
Population in 2016: 21 357 000The greater number of men is explained by the influx of the male population from the countryside to the city to earn money.
The literacy rate is 77%, which is above the national average.
Among men, literacy is 82%, among women - 71.6%.
Population in 2016: 24 484 000Shanghai is the financial and commercial center of China. More than 5 million people live and work informally in Shanghai, of which about 4 million are seasonal workers, mainly from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.
Population in 2016: 26 454 000Delhi is a cosmopolitan city where different cultures are mixed. The different peoples of India play different roles in the city's economy.
Due to its importance as the political and economic center of North India, the city attracts industrial and office workers from all over India, supporting the cultural diversity of the city.
Due to the functions of the capital and the activities of numerous foreign companies, a significant number of citizens of other countries also live in Delhi.
Population in 2016: 38 140 000During the daytime, the population increases by more than 2.5 million workers and students coming from neighboring areas.
This effect is even more pronounced in the three central regions.
The population density in Tokyo is the highest in Japan.
