Largest City In The World

Several continually growing cities across the world are among the biggest in human history, but only Shanghai currently holds the title of the largest city in the world. As difficult as it is to gather population data the most reliable sources continually point to Shanghai, China as having more people than any other city on the planet. 

Located in the world’s most populated country, Shanghai is located in the Eastern part of China and lies at the mouth of the Yangtze River. According to the most recent estimates by the United Nations, Shanghai has a population of 14,348,535. When you include surrounding suburban areas, estimates have been upwards of 17 million. In fact, the Shanghai Municipal Government estimated the population to be 17,780,000 in 2007. Other cities vying to be called the world’s largest city include Mumbai (11,914,398), Beijing (11,509,595), Sao Paulo (11,016,703), and Seoul (10,421,782).

Shanghai covers an approximate area of 6340 square kilometers (3939 miles). When compared to other large cities, this is not a lot of surface area. In fact the city of Jiuquan, China has an area of 167,996 square kilometers (64,864 miles). New York City itself has a surface area of 8683 square kilometers (5395 square miles). Therefore, it goes without saying that the population density is high in Shanghai.

Shanghai was once a simple fishing and textiles town but over the last century the city has grow into one of the world’s leading cities with influence in finance, fashion, commerce, and culture. Due to Shanghai’s auspicious port location the city has been able to flourish as a center for commerce between the East and the West. That mixed with intense re-development of the city during the 1990s has allowed Shanghai to grow into the world’s largest city. 

Despite Shanghai’s current label as the most populated city in the world this could change quickly. Estimates vary from year to year and several cities across the world continue to grow. The UN has also predicted the future formation of mega-cities. These are cities that stretch vast distances and become what seems like a never-ending community. Shanghai is one such city that could grow to epic proportions, but only time will tell.