Below we look at some of the world's largest metropolises today, drawing special attention to the biggest problems.

world: The most populous and longest city in the world, Mexico City, does not have clearly defined boundaries; you can drive a hundred or more kilometers from end to end along a few expressways, where traffic jams begin at 7 am and periodically occur until 11 am.

The largest metropolis in the world (Mexico City) Photo

Mexico City - federal district and capital of Mexico, political, economic, industrial and cultural center states.

Mexico City is one of the most important financial centers V North America. It is located on a high plateau in the center of Mexico, at an altitude of 2240 meters.

The population (as of 2010) is 8,851,080 people, the area is 1,499 km². According to official data from the federal government, the metropolitan area's population is 21.2 million, making it the fifth largest metropolitan area in the world.

Named after the Aztec god of war Mehitli

• Mexico City is located on a huge plateau (2400 m above sea level) surrounded by a cloud of smog that hangs over the city 9 months of the year. Relative relief occurs in July-September, during the rainy season. Living in the polluted air of this metropolis is equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.
• Another scourge of Mexico City is poverty, which cannot be escaped even in the most unique and charming rich areas of the city, buried in gardens and parks. Traffic lights here change half as often as in Europe, allowing dozens of street vendors and beggars to spit on cars parked at thousands of metropolitan intersections.

In Mexico City, as throughout Mexico, the number of poor people is not decreasing, exactly in line with the ever-increasing number in the world - by 2% annually, according to the World Bank, and the number of poor people is growing even in developed countries, not just in countries . This onslaught of poverty has been compared by some observers to “World War III.”

The federal government officially allocated $1 billion “to fight poverty” in 1997. According to some estimates, 50% of the capital's population does not receive food that meets the minimum generally accepted international standards.

The gap between the poor and rich in Mexico is 3-4 times higher than the corresponding data for developed countries. The percentage of the Mexican middle class is constantly shrinking. While the richest 10% of citizens own 50% of the national wealth, the poorest 10% of Mexicans own less than 2% of the national wealth.

Half the workforce in the Mexican capital is content with earnings of one or two minimum wages, which allows you to receive only a third of the expenses of the officially recognized subsistence level for goods and services for a family of 4-5 people.

The situation is complicated by the fact that Mexico must import 43% of its annual national grain consumption, the price of which is constantly rising on the world market. The thinning of the planet's ozone layer is causing an increase in the number of skin diseases in Mexico City - the sun now causes more harm than chemical pollution from sewage.

"The largest megacities in the world"

Urban population growth is one of the the most important characteristics modern era. Until recently, the largest metropolises in the world were located exclusively in the European region and the old civilizations of Asia - China, India and Japan.

Two centuries of urbanization: 1800-2000

Until the 18th century, no city reached the threshold of one million inhabitants, with the exception of Rome in the ancient period: at its climax its population was estimated at 1.3 million. In 1800, there was only one settlement with a population of over 1 million - Beijing, and in 1900 there were already 15. The table shows a list of ten in 1800, 1900 and 2000 with the corresponding population estimate.

Population of the 10 largest cities, in thousands of inhabitants

					Tokyo-Yokohama		Tokyo-Yokohama
							Jakarta
					Sao Paulo
	Constantinople
					Calcutta
			Petersburg		Buenos Aires
			Philadelphia		Rio de Janeiro
			Manchester				Guangzhou-Foshan

After a period of political turmoil, China under the Qing dynasty experienced a long, peaceful period of demographic expansion. In 1800, Beijing became the first city since Rome (at the height of the Roman Empire) to have a population exceeding 1 million inhabitants. He was number one in the world then; Constantinople was in a state of decline. Then London and Paris appear (second and fifth respectively). But in this world ranking, Japan's urban tradition is already evident, since Edo (Tokyo) begins the 19th century with a population of half a million close to that of Paris, and Osaka is in the top ten.

The Rise and Fall of Europe

In height European civilization becomes obvious. The main metropolises of the world (9 out of 10) belonged to Western civilization on both sides of the Atlantic (Europe and the USA). The four largest metropolitan regions of China (Beijing, Canton, Hangzhou, Suzhou) disappeared from the list, thereby confirming the decline of the Chinese Empire. Another example of regression was Constantinople. On the contrary, cities such as London or Paris grew at an accelerated rate: between 1800 and 1900 their populations increased 7-8 times. Greater London had 6.5 million inhabitants, more than countries such as Sweden or the Netherlands.

The growth of Berlin or New York was even more impressive. In 1800, New York, with its 63 thousand inhabitants, was not the size of a capital, but a small town; one century later its population exceeded 4 million. Of the 10 megacities in the world, only one - Tokyo - was outside the sphere of European settlement.

Demographic situation at the beginning of the 21st century

By the end of the twentieth century, the world's largest megacities each had a population of 20 million. Tokyo is still expanding to such an extent that the city has become the largest metropolitan area in the world, with a population of 5 million more people than New York. New York itself, which has long held first place, is currently in fifth place with about 24 million residents.

While in 1900 only one of the ten largest urban agglomerates was outside the European sphere, the current situation is completely opposite, since none of the ten most populous metropolitan areas belongs to European civilization. The ten largest cities are located in Asia (Tokyo, Shanghai, Jakarta, Seoul, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shenzhen and Delhi), Latin America(Mexico City) and Africa (Lagos). For example, Buenos Aires, which is still in early XIX century was a village, in 1998 it reached 6th place with total number population 11 million people.

Explosive growth is taking place in Seoul, where the number of residents has increased 10-fold over the past half-century. Sub-Saharan Africa does not have an urban tradition and is only at the very beginning of this process, but even there there is already a million-plus city, Lagos, with a population of 21 million people.

About 2.8 billion urban residents in 2000

In 1900, only 10% of earthlings lived in cities. In 1950 there were already 29% of them, and by 2000 - 47%. Urban growth increased significantly: from 160 million in 1900 to 735 million in 1950 and to 2.8 billion in 2000.

Urban growth is a universal phenomenon. In Africa, some population centers are doubling in size every decade, the result of explosive population growth and intense rural emigration. In 1950, almost every country in sub-Saharan Africa had urban population levels below 25%. In 1985, this situation remained in only one third of the countries, and in 7 countries the number of city dwellers prevailed.

City and village

In Latin America, on the contrary, urbanization began quite a long time ago. It reached its peak in the first half of the 20th century. The urban population remains a minority in only a very few of the poorest Central American states and countries Caribbean region(Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti). In the most densely populated countries, the percentage of urban residents corresponds to the indicators of developed Western countries (more than 75%).

The situation in Asia is radically different. In Pakistan, for example, 2/3 of the population is rural; in India, China and Indonesia - 3/4; in Bangladesh - over 4/5. largely predominate. The vast majority of citizens still live in rural areas. Urban population concentration is limited to a few areas of the Middle East and industrial regions East Asia(Japan, Taiwan, Korea). It seems that high density rural population limits isolation and thus prevents over-urbanization.

The emergence of megacities

Urban residents are gradually becoming more and more concentrated in giant agglomerations. In 1900, the number of megacities with a population of more than 1 million people was 17. Almost all of them were located within European civilization - in Europe itself (London, Paris, Berlin), in Russia (St. Petersburg, Moscow) or in its North American branch (New York, Chicago, Philadelphia). The only exceptions were a few cities with a long history of political and industrial centers: Tokyo, Beijing, and Calcutta.

Half a century later, by 1950, the urban landscape had changed profoundly. The world's largest metropolitan areas still belonged to the European sphere, but Tokyo rose from 7th to 4th place. And the most eloquent symbol of the decline of the West was the fall of Paris from 3rd to 6th place (between Shanghai and Buenos Aires), as well as London from its leader position in 1900 to number 11 in 1990.

Third world cities and slums

In Latin America and even more so in Africa, where the abandonment of the land began suddenly, the urban crisis is extremely deep. The pace of their development is two to three times lower than the rate of population growth; the speed of urbanization is now an aggravating factor: acceleration technical progress and globalization are limiting the potential for creating enough new jobs, while schools and universities supply millions of new graduates to the labor market every year. Living in this type of metropolis is fraught with frustrations that fuel political instability.

Among the 33 metropolitan areas with more than 5 million people in 1990, 22 were in developing countries. The cities of the poorest countries tend to become the largest in the world. Their excessive and anarchic growth entails megacity problems such as the formation of slums and shacks, overburdened infrastructure and worsening social ills such as unemployment, crime, insecurity, drug abuse, etc.

Further spread of megacities: past and future

One of the most striking features of development is the formation of megacities, especially in less developed countries. According to the UN definition, these are populated areas with at least 8 million inhabitants. The growth of large urban formations is a new phenomenon that has occurred over the past half century. In 1950, only 2 cities (New York and London) were in this category. By 1990, the world's megacities included 11 settlements: 3 were located in Latin America (Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro), 2 were in North America (New York and Los Angeles), 2 in Europe (London and Paris) and 4 in East Asia (Tokyo, Shanghai, Osaka and Beijing). In 1995, 16 out of 22 megacities were located in less developed countries (12 in Asia, 4 in Latin America and 2 in Africa - Cairo and Lagos). By 2015, their number increased to 42. Among them, 34 (that is, 81%) are located in undeveloped countries and only 8 in developed ones. The vast majority of the world's megacities (27 out of 42, approximately two-thirds) are located in Asia.

The undisputed leading countries in the number of millionaire cities are China (101), India (57) and the USA (44).

Today, the largest European metropolis is Moscow, which ranks 15th with 16 million people. It is followed by Paris (29th with 10.9 million) and London (32nd with 10.2 million). Moscow received the definition of “megapolis” in late XIX century, when the 1897 census recorded 1 million city dwellers.

Candidates for megalopolises

Many agglomerates will soon cross the 8 million barrier. Among them are the city of Hong Kong, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Taipei-Taoyuan, etc. In the United States, candidates are far behind in terms of population. These are the agglomerates of Dallas/Fort Worth (6.2 million), San Francisco/San Jose (5.9 million), Houston with a population of 5.8 million, the city of Miami, and Philadelphia.

In total, only 3 American cities have so far crossed the 8 million mark - New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The fourth most populous city in the United States and the first in Texas is Houston. The city is on the 64th place in the list of the largest settlements in the world. The growth of relatively small conurbations is also promising in the United States. Examples of such entities are Atlanta, Minneapolis, the city of Seattle, Phoenix and Denver.

Wealth and poverty

The meaning of hyperurbanization varies from continent to continent and from one country to another. The demographic profile, character economic activity, type of housing, quality of infrastructure, growth rate, history of settlement. For example, the cities of Africa have no past, and suddenly they began to be inundated by a massive and continuous influx of poor rural migrants (mostly peasants), as well as expanding due to high natural increase. Their growth rate is approximately double the global average.

In East Asia, where population densities are extremely high, enormous conurbations, sometimes covering very large areas and including a network of surrounding villages, have resulted from improved economic conditions.

In the Indian subcontinent, megacities like Bombay, Kolkata, Delhi, Dhaka or Karachi tend to expand due to rural poverty as well as excess fertility. In Latin America the picture is somewhat different: urbanization here occurred much earlier and has slowed down since 1980; Structural adjustment policies seem to have played a key role in this turnaround.

Growing Cities of the Earth

The question of which one is the most big city in the world, many children ask. And adults too. After all the world around us is changing at such a pace that sometimes you can’t keep track: the planet’s population is constantly growing, small cities are joining large ones, the number of megacities is growing, small villages are disappearing from the face of the Earth, new cities are being built... It is impossible to say unequivocally which is the largest city in the world. But “leaders” can be identified. These undoubtedly include Sydney, Shanghai, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, Tehran, Mexico City, Tokyo and many others.

The most populous cities

The largest city in the world by population is Shanghai. Although not a capital, this city still has enormous economic, cultural and political significance. Shanghai can safely be called the commercial center of China, and indeed everything Far East, because a huge part of government and foreign business is concentrated there. Beautiful and hospitable Shanghai attracts pilgrims from all over the world, which allows them to earn considerable income from the tourism business. In addition, Shanghai is home to the world's largest port. Today the population of Shanghai is just over 20 million people. And this figure is constantly changing, and upward. Shanghainese even have their own dialect, which is called Shanghainese. The increase is due to migration and the traditionally high birth rate for China.

In second place after Shanghai is Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. The population is just over 19 million people. Third place is shared by Istanbul (Türkiye) and Karachi (Pakistan).

Cities with the largest territory

The largest city in the world by area is Sydney, Australia. It occupies just over 12 square kilometers. A tourist center for the entire region, a major trading port, and a developing business capital, Sydney has all the prerequisites for further prosperity and expansion. The general global trend towards migration of rural residents to large cities can also be seen in Sydney. Its population cannot be called the largest, but it is growing with enviable consistency. It is followed by the capital of Congo - Kinshasa. The vast territory of Kinshasa is occupied not only by high-rise residential areas, but also by the private sector. Huge areas of the city are occupied by industrial complexes, markets, and natural parks. In third place is Buenos Aires. It is not only the largest city in Argentina, but also the busiest and, without exaggeration, the most beautiful.

Sociologists' forecasts

IN recent years Sociologists also ask questions about what is the largest city in the world. After all, all large cities are characterized by one feature - further growth. What could this lead to?

Not long ago, experts in the field of sociology, economics and politics from Forbes magazine conducted an independent study, which assessed not only the leaders that exist today, but also many other megacities that show high rates of development and growth. The purpose of the study was to determine the cities that will become the largest in 10-15 years. According to the research results, in 2025 the most big city Tokyo will become the capital of Japan on Earth. This metropolis is still quite large and crowded today, but the main thing is that its population growth rate is simply enormous. Experts predict that in 10 years the question “What is the largest city in the world?” You can answer without hesitation - Tokyo!

According to the results of this study, in addition to Tokyo, the top ten will include Delhi, Mexico City, Shanghai, New York, Kolkata, Karachi, Sao Paulo, Dhaka, and Mumbai.

There are more than two million cities in our world, each of them is unique, distinguished by its own atmosphere, culture, size and population. Many of them are unknown to anyone, while others have been heard of by everyone. To become famous, a city must have some kind of attraction, or become a center historical events, or, for example, become known as the largest city by area. What metropolis deserves this status? Let's find out in our ranking of the largest cities on the planet!

The largest cities in the world by area

The largest metropolis is located in the center of China. It earned first place thanks to its very impressive territory of almost 83 thousand square kilometers. True, the “kilometre” includes not only urban areas, but also suburbs and rural areas. Official data says that Chongqing is 470 kilometers long and 450 kilometers wide, which is the same size as Austria!

The city is divided into nineteen districts, five counties and four autonomous counties. The population, which approaches 29 million, lives mostly in villages. The metropolis accounts for only 20% of the total.

Chongqing is an ancient city with three thousand years of history. The first people appeared on the territory of the future metropolis back in the Paleolithic era. It was in these lands that the settlers found coziness and comfort, because the city is located at the confluence of the Jialing River and the Yangtze.

Chongqing is surrounded by three mountain ranges: Dabashan guards it from the north, Wushan vigilantly looks at it from the east, and Dalushan from the south. Because of the bizarre landscape, the city is called “mountainous” (Shancheng).

There are as many as eight ancient capitals in China, and Hangzhou is one of them, and at the same time this city is also a center of economics, culture and science, as well as an important transport hub.

Hangzhou is traversed by the longest man-made canal on Earth, known as the Great Canal, as well as the tidal Qiantangjiang River. The metropolis is divided into eight districts and five counties, and it itself spreads over 16.5 square kilometers. The urban area makes up one fifth of the total territory.

The Chinese themselves call Hangzhou a paradise on Earth, this city is famous ancient history. No wonder, because it dates back 8 thousand years! The city is very generous with resources and amazes with beautiful views. Even Marco Polo could not remain indifferent to Hangzhou and called it the most beautiful place on the planet.

The capital of the Celestial Empire stretches over 16.8 thousand square kilometers, accommodating more than 21 million inhabitants. The city is inferior economically to Hong Kong and Shanghai, but leads in politics and education. And in 2008 it hosted the Summer Olympic Games.

Beijing, whose history goes back three thousand years, has always been a haven for emperors, which allowed it to be considered the most important city in the country. People still come here to see the imperial palaces, tombs, temples and parks. Local residents revere ancient traditions, not forgetting to restore ancient buildings while new and modern areas are being built around them. By the way, Beijing is called the safest city on the planet!

We looked at the top three big cities, taking into account the area. But our rating would not be complete if we did not include cities that differ from others in the number of inhabitants inhabiting them.

Largest cities in the world by population

According to latest research, the largest city by population is Shanghai, China. It is located in the Yangtze River Delta and spreads over an area of ​​almost two thousand square kilometers. This is the most important point in China, both financially and culturally. Shanghai was originally an ordinary fishing village, but now it is a large seaport and one of the most important cities in China. The population census showed that more than 24 million residents live here, and these are only those who are officially registered. That is why Shanghai can safely be called the most big city world on this indicator.

This Pakistani city was once the capital of this country and only in the middle of the last century lost this honorary status. Karachi is located in the south of Pakistan, on the shores of the Arabian Sea. This is a major trading hub of the country, and also the educational center of all of South Asia. After the city gained independence from Great Britain, the population began to grow rapidly. On at the moment with a total area of ​​Karachi of 3.5 thousand square kilometers, the city accommodates 23.5 million inhabitants.

Yes, the capital of the Celestial Empire has distinguished itself here too. Being the third in area, it occupies the same place in terms of population. Beijing is constant only in this regard; over its long existence, the city has changed many names, only in the 15th century did it receive its current name. If you count the suburbs of Beijing, which is what sociologists usually do, then the city's population is close to 22 million. And this does not take into account the numerous migrants working unofficially in Beijing.

The Indian capital is a place of pilgrimage for many travelers and has a population of 16 million. But due to the flow of tourists, a much larger number of people are in Delhi at one time. And all because here the most beautiful temples with dirt in the slums, bright and enchanting festivals and the quiet, unknown life of the poor are so intricately intertwined. A city of contrasts and chaotic movement, eternal bustle, general noise and hubbub, for some, being here for more than two weeks becomes the test of a lifetime. But many note that they could live here forever.

Delhi has more than one thousand years of history; there is something to see for any, even the most demanding tourist. Attractions are mainly concentrated in two districts of Delhi - Old and New, which are separated by another district - Pahar Ganj. The latter most often becomes a haven for travelers. The most interesting historical exhibits of the capital are: the Jama Masjid Mosque, the Humayun Mausoleum, military fortresses, Lodi Park and numerous temples to various deities.

This city is located in the southwest of Nigeria and is not only the former capital city, but also the largest locality this territory. Lagos is located in the Bay of Benin under the “supervision” of Atlantic waters. Even though Lagos is no longer the capital, it remains an important city for Nigeria. It is not only a transport hub, but also the center of politics and culture of the country, where industry is also very developed. Lagos is spread over a thousand square kilometers and is home to 15 million people.

This city once had a different name, Eco, which literally meant “farm site” (according to another version, “military camp”). Locals They were engaged in growing vegetables and fruits here, and now the city is famous for its developed infrastructure, production, tall buildings and wide avenues. The main activity of the local population is work in production or trade, although the film industry is also developed in Lagos.

Although it is one of the largest cities on the planet, it still remains the most little-known metropolis. It’s unlikely that anyone has even heard of such a city. But it is growing at such a pace that it may soon overtake the largest city in the world in population - Tokyo. This city of 30 million people in China is called Chongqing. Only here old neighborhoods can disappear overnight, and in their place new ones can just as quickly grow - huge, higher, providing a roof over the head of an ever-growing population.

This city is dotted with bridges of unimaginable sizes, which anywhere else would become its business card and a major tourist attraction. But there are too many of them here, and their main function is to transport millions of residents to their places of work.

The proposed selection of photographs about this metropolis from the photo project “Metamorpolis” by Tim Franco, which shows at what alarming speed China is growing, and how rural residents who came here for bread are trying to adapt to a completely new way of life.

Today, the second most populous city in the world, Chinese Chongqing, located in a very beautiful place- between the mountains, on the banks of the two rivers Yangtze and Jialingjiang, until 1997 it was the most ordinary city.

In 1997 everything changed. Chongqing became part of a large government-controlled project of the Chinese People's Republic to provide jobs for millions of rural Chinese.

Rural residents from western and central China began to migrate en masse to Chongqing. The city's privileged position contributed to the rapid development of the metallurgical industry, mechanical engineering, construction, chemical and textile industries, food industry and trade.

Today Chongqing is a huge construction site. Due to its specific position - between hills and rivers - the city can only grow in height. Terrace glazing is the only possibility for city residents to create their own little corner of nature in this concrete jungle.

There is no room for old buildings in Chongqing; only huge skyscrapers are being built here to accommodate the city's growing population.

French photographer Tim Franco decided to show the fascinating and frightening world of an incredibly fast growing city in his photo project. He first came to Chongqing five years ago.

The transformation of the city in such a short period of time made a huge impression on him and became the starting point for creating this unique series of photographs.

Over the course of several years, the photographer returned to Chongqing time after time to capture the changes and the villagers adapting to them.

The photographer witnessed the life of this incredible city: its old residents, who, against the backdrop of huge apartment buildings, planted their beds and grazed livestock, noisy construction sites day and night, megalithic bridges that appeared like mushrooms after the rain, powerful overpasses, tunnels and new metro lines.

Some photos show typical cityscapes, while others look like someone has built massive apartment complexes right in the middle of a field.

Chongqing is an overly large, massive, overcrowded city that may soon become the most populous metropolis in the world. And only people in this concrete jungle seem so tiny and touching.