This article lists the largest human settlements in the world (by population) over time, as estimated by historians, from 7000 BC when the largest human settlement was a proto-city in the Ancient Near East with a population of about 1,000–2,000 people, to the year 2000 when the largest human settlement was Tokyo with 26 million.
Rome, Chang'an or Baghdad may have been the first city to have 1,000,000 people, as early as the 1st century or as late as the 8th century. Later cities that might have reached 1 million include Kaifeng, Hangzhou, Jinling, Beijing, Edo. There is wide agreement that London was the first city to reach 2 million and New York was the first to reach 10 million.
The Greater Tokyo Area has been the most populous metropolitan area in the world since 1955, with more than 37.393 million residents as of 2020. Jakarta is expected to overtake Tokyo by 2030, partly due to Tokyo's shrinking population.
As disagreements between the sources show, any of the pre-19th century figures are uncertain, especially in ancient times. Estimating population sizes before censuses were conducted is a difficult task.
List of the most populous human settlements over time
The following table lists the most populous human settlements by estimated population at specified points in history according to three sources: Ian Morris, George Modelski and Tertius Chandler. City names are in bold where all three sources agree. It shows the evolution of the largest settlement from proto-city to city to urban area to metropolitan area.
Year | Morris (2010) | Modelski (2003) | Chandler (1987) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Population | Name | Present location | Population | Name | Present location | Population | Name | Present location | |
7000 BC | 1,000 | Beidha | Jordan | 1,000–2,000 | Jericho | West Bank | |||
Basta | Jordan | ||||||||
Çatalhöyük | Turkey | ||||||||
6500 BC | 5,000–10,000 | Çatalhöyük | Turkey | ||||||
6000 BC | 3,000 | Çatalhöyük | Turkey | ||||||
4000 BCE | 5,000 | Uruk | Iraq | 4,000 | Eridu | Iraq | |||
Tell Brak | Syria | ||||||||
3800 to 3700 BC | < 10,000 | Dobrovody | Ukraine | ||||||
3700 BCE | 6,000–10,000 | Eridu | Iraq | ||||||
3600 to 3500 BC | < 10,000 | Maydanets | Ukraine | ||||||
< 10,000 | Talianki | Ukraine | |||||||
3500 BCE | 14,000 | Uruk | Iraq | ||||||
3300 BCE | 40,000 | Uruk | Iraq | ||||||
3200 BCE | 20,000 | Abydos | Egypt | ||||||
3100 BCE | 20,000 | Memphis | Egypt | ||||||
3000 BCE | 45,000 | Uruk | Iraq | 40,000 | Uruk | Iraq | 30,000 | Memphis | Egypt |
2800 BCE | 80,000 | Uruk | Iraq | Memphis | Egypt | ||||
2500 BCE | 60,000 | Lagash | Iraq | Memphis | Egypt | ||||
20,000 | Nippur | Iraq | |||||||
2400 BCE | 50,000 | Mari | Syria | Memphis | Egypt | ||||
40,000 | Umma | Iraq | |||||||
Girsu | Iraq | ||||||||
Mohenjo-daro | Pakistan | ||||||||
2300 BCE | 80,000 | Girsu | Iraq | Memphis | Egypt | ||||
50,000 | Mari | Syria | |||||||
2250 BCE | > 30,000 | Memphis | Egypt | ||||||
2240 BCE | Akkad | Iraq | |||||||
2200 BCE | 50,000 | Girsu | Iraq | Akkad | Iraq | ||||
2100 BCE | 100,000 | Ur | Iraq | Akkad | Iraq | ||||
2075 BCE | 50,000 | Girsu | Iraq | ||||||
2059 BCE | Girsu | Iraq | |||||||
2030 BCE | Ur | Iraq | |||||||
2000 BCE | 60,000 | Memphis | Egypt | 40,000 | Isin | Iraq | 65,000 | Ur | Iraq |
Larsa | Iraq | ||||||||
Girsu | Iraq | ||||||||
1991 BCE | Ur | Iraq | |||||||
1980 BCE | Thebes | Egypt | |||||||
1900 BCE | 40,000 | Isin | Iraq | Thebes | Egypt | ||||
Larsa | Iraq | ||||||||
1800 BCE | 60,000 | Mari | Syria | > 25,000 | Thebes | Egypt | |||
1770 BCE | 60,000 | Babylon | Iraq | ||||||
1700 BCE | 60,000 | Babylon | Iraq | Babylon | Iraq | ||||
1670 BCE | Avaris | Egypt | |||||||
1650 BCE | 100,000 | Avaris | Egypt | ||||||
1600 BCE | 50,000–100,000 | Avaris | Egypt | 100,000 | Avaris | Egypt | |||
1595 BCE | Avaris | Egypt | |||||||
1580 BCE | Avaris | Egypt | |||||||
1557 BCE | Memphis | Egypt | |||||||
1500 BCE | 75,000 | Uruk | Iraq | 60,000 | Thebes | Egypt | Memphis | Egypt | |
Thebes | Egypt | ||||||||
1400 BCE | 80,000 | Thebes | Egypt | Thebes | Egypt | ||||
1375 BCE | 100,000 | Thebes | Egypt | ||||||
1360 BCE | 80,000 | Thebes | Egypt | ||||||
1350 BCE | Thebes | Egypt | |||||||
1300 BCE | 120,000 | Yinxu (Anyang) | China | Thebes | Egypt | ||||
1205 BCE | Memphis | Egypt | |||||||
1200 BCE | 80,000 | Babylon | Iraq | 160,000 | Pi-Ramses | Egypt | 50,000 | Memphis | Egypt |
Thebes | Egypt | ||||||||
1188 BCE | Thebes | Egypt | |||||||
1184 BCE | 120,000 | Thebes | Egypt | ||||||
1100 BCE | 120,000 | Pi-Ramses | Egypt | Thebes | Egypt | ||||
1000 BCE | 35,000 | Qiyi (Qi) | China | 120,000 | Thebes | Egypt | > 50,000 | Thebes | Egypt |
100,000 | Haojing (Xi'an) | China | > 50,000 | Haojing (Xi'an) | China | ||||
Memphis | Egypt | 50,000 | Chengzhou (Luoyang) | China | |||||
Babylon | Iraq | 100,000 | |||||||
900 BC | 120,000 | Haojing | China | Thebes | Egypt | ||||
800 BC | 125,000 | Haojing | China | > 50,000 | Thebes | Egypt | |||
700 BC | 100,000 | Thebes | Egypt | Thebes | Egypt | ||||
Memphis | Egypt | ||||||||
Nineveh | Iraq | ||||||||
Babylon | Iraq | ||||||||
Luoyi (Luoyang) | China | ||||||||
Linzi | China | ||||||||
668 BC | 100,000 | Nineveh | Iraq | ||||||
650 BC | 120,000 | Nineveh | Iraq | ||||||
612 BC | Babylon | Iraq | |||||||
600 BC | 200,000 | Babylon | Iraq | 100,000 | Babylon | Iraq | |||
Luoyi | China | ||||||||
562 BC | 200,000 | Babylon | Iraq | ||||||
500 BC | 150,000 | Babylon | Iraq | 200,000 | Babylon | Iraq | Babylon | Iraq | |
Luoyi | China | ||||||||
Linzi | China | ||||||||
479 BC | Babylon | Iraq | |||||||
460 BC | Babylon | Iraq | |||||||
440 BC | Babylon | Iraq | |||||||
430 BC | 200,000 | Babylon | Iraq | ||||||
400 BC | 320,000 | Xiadu | China | Babylon | Iraq | ||||
320 BC | > 300,000 | Alexandria | Egypt | ||||||
300 BC | 500,000 | Carthage | Tunisia | Pataliputra (Patna) | India | ||||
220 BC | Pataliputra | India | |||||||
206 BC | Pataliputra | India | |||||||
200 BC | 300,000 | Alexandria | Egypt | 600,000 | Alexandria | Egypt | 350,000 | Pataliputra | India |
400,000 | Chang'an (Xi'an) | China | |||||||
195 BC | Chang'an | China | |||||||
190 BC | Chang'an | China | |||||||
170 BC | Chang'an | China | |||||||
160 BC | Chang'an | China | |||||||
100 BC | 1,000,000 | Alexandria | Egypt | Chang'an | China | ||||
25 BC | Rome | Italy | |||||||
AD 1 | 1,000,000 | Rome | Italy | 800,000 | Rome | Italy | Rome | Italy | |
100 | 1,000,000 | Rome | Italy | 450,000 | Rome | Italy | |||
180 | 600,000 | Rome | Italy | ||||||
200 | 800,000 | Rome | Italy | 1,200,000 | Rome | Italy | Rome | Italy | |
280 | 500,000 | Rome | Italy | ||||||
300 | 1,000,000 | Rome | Italy | Rome | Italy | ||||
340 | Constantinople (Istanbul) | Turkey | |||||||
350 | Constantinople | Turkey | |||||||
361 | 300,000 | Constantinople | Turkey | ||||||
400 | 500,000 | Rome | Italy | 800,000 | Rome | Italy | Constantinople | Turkey | |
410 | Constantinople | Turkey | |||||||
450 | Constantinople | Turkey | |||||||
500 | 500,000 | Constantinople | Turkey | 400,000 | Constantinople | Turkey | |||
Jiankang (Nanjing) | China | ||||||||
Luoyang | China | ||||||||
570 | Ctesiphon | Iraq | |||||||
575 | 500,000 | Ctesiphon | Iraq | ||||||
600 | 600,000 | Daxing (Chang'an) | China | 600,000 | Constantinople | Turkey | 500,000 | Ctesiphon | Iraq |
622 | 500,000 | Ctesiphon | Iraq | ||||||
637 | 400,000 | Chang'an | China | ||||||
650 | Chang'an | China | |||||||
700 | 1,000,000 | Chang'an | China | 800,000 | Chang'an | China | |||
750 | 800,000 | Chang'an | China | ||||||
775 | 600,000 | Baghdad | Iraq | ||||||
800 | 1,000,000 | Chang'an | China | 800,000 | Chang'an | China | 700,000 | Baghdad | Iraq |
833 | 900,000 | Baghdad | Iraq | ||||||
900 | 750,000 | Chang'an | China | 900,000 | Baghdad | Iraq | 900,000 | Baghdad | Iraq |
925 | 1,100,000 | Baghdad | Iraq | ||||||
932 | 1,100,000 | Baghdad | Iraq | ||||||
935 | 350,000 | Cordoba | Spain | ||||||
1000 | 1,000,000 | Kaifeng | China | 1,200,000 | Baghdad | Iraq | 350,000 | Cordoba | Spain |
1013 | 400,000 | Kaifeng | China | ||||||
1050 | 400,000 | Kaifeng | China | ||||||
1071 | 400,000 | Kaifeng | China | ||||||
1100 | 1,200,000 | Baghdad | Iraq | 442,000 | Kaifeng | China | |||
1102 | 442,000 | Kaifeng | China | ||||||
1126 | 420,000 | Kaifeng | China | ||||||
1127 | 200,000 | Constantinople | Turkey | ||||||
1145 | 200,000 | Merv | Turkmenistan | ||||||
1150 | 200,000 | Merv | Turkmenistan | ||||||
1153 | 200,000 | Constantinople | Turkey | ||||||
1160 | 200,000 | Constantinople | Turkey | ||||||
1170 | 200,000 | Fez | Morocco | ||||||
1180 | 200,000 | Hangzhou | China | ||||||
1200 | 1,000,000 | Hangzhou | China | 1,000,000 | Baghdad | Iraq | 255,000 | Hangzhou | China |
Hangzhou | China | ||||||||
Kaifeng | China | ||||||||
1210 | 260,000 | Hangzhou | China | ||||||
1250 | 320,000 | Hangzhou | China | ||||||
1273 | 432,000 | Hangzhou | China | ||||||
1300 | 1,500,000 | Hangzhou | China | 432,000 | Hangzhou | China | |||
1315 | 432,000 | Cairo | Egypt | ||||||
1325 | 500,000 | Cairo | Egypt | ||||||
1348 | 432,000 | Hangzhou | China | ||||||
1350 | 432,000 | Hangzhou | China | ||||||
1358 | Jinling (Nanjing) | China | |||||||
1391 | 473,000 | Jinling | China | ||||||
1400 | 500,000 | Jinling (Nanjing) | China | 1,000,000 | Jinling (Nanjing) | China | 487,000 | Jinling | China |
1420 | Jinling | China | |||||||
1425 | Beijing | China | |||||||
1450 | 600,000 | Beijing | China | ||||||
1492 | 669,000 | Beijing | China | ||||||
1500 | 600,000 | Beijing | China | 1,000,000 | Beijing | China | 672,000 | Beijing | China |
1550 | 690,000 | Beijing | China | ||||||
1575 | 706,000 | Beijing | China | ||||||
1579 | 706,000 | Beijing | China | ||||||
1600 | 700,000 | Beijing | China | 1,000,000 | Beijing | China | 706,000 | Beijing | China |
1635 | Beijing | China | |||||||
1637 | Beijing | China | |||||||
1650 | 700,000 | Constantinople | Turkey | ||||||
1670 | Constantinople | Turkey | |||||||
1675 | 750,000 | Constantinople | Turkey | ||||||
1684 | Constantinople | Turkey | |||||||
1685 | Constantinople | Turkey | |||||||
1690 | 700–800,000 | Constantinople | Turkey | ||||||
1700 | 650,000 | Beijing | China | 1,000,000 | Ayutthaya | Thailand | 700,000 | Constantinople | Turkey |
1710 | Beijing | China | |||||||
1720 | Edo | Japan | Beijing | China | |||||
1750 | 900,000 | Beijing | China | ||||||
1775 | 1,000,000 | Beijing | China | ||||||
1800 | 1,100,000 | Beijing | China | 1,100,000 | Beijing | China | 1,100,000 | Beijing | China |
1821 | 1,300,000 | Beijing | China | ||||||
1825 | 1,350,000 | Beijing | China | ||||||
1,335,000 | London (urban area) | United Kingdom | |||||||
1841 | 1,948,000 | London | United Kingdom | ||||||
1850 | 2,320,000 | London | United Kingdom | ||||||
1851 | 2,362,000 | London | United Kingdom | ||||||
1861 | 2,803,000 | London | United Kingdom | ||||||
1875 | 4,241,000 | London | United Kingdom | ||||||
1900 | 6,600,000 | London | United Kingdom | 6,500,000 | London | United Kingdom | 6,480,000 | London | United Kingdom |
1914 | 7,419,000 | London | United Kingdom | ||||||
1925 | 7,774,000 | New York (urban area) | United States | ||||||
1936 | 10,150,000 | New York | United States | ||||||
1950 | 12,463,000 | New York | United States | ||||||
1965 | 15,000,000 | Tokyo (urban area) | Japan | ||||||
1975 | 20,500,000 | Tokyo | Japan | ||||||
2000 | 26,400,000 | Tokyo | Japan |
See also
References
External links
- Top Ten Cities Through History, animation showing the ten largest cities throughout history according to Chandler
- Top 20 Most Populated Cities in The World 1500 to 2100 (History + Projection)