🏙️ The Two Largest Cities on Every Continent

What We’re Showing:

This graphic visualizes the two largest cities on every continent, by 2025 estimates for their population. Data is sourced from UN World Urbanization Prospects.

Population figures are measured for urban agglomerations, which is a continuous urban area that may not follow local administrative boundaries.

What Large Cities Tell Us About the World

A quick glance at the map reveals that Asia and Africa’s largest cities dwarf their peers from the Americas, Europe, and Oceania.

This is mirroring general population trends—where Asia and Africa are responsible for a significant proportion of the global population in the 21st century.

Of the top 20 cities by population: 13 are from Asia, three are from Africa, two each from North and South America, and none from Europe or Oceania.