Today, the urban population of our planet is steadily growing. Large cities become even larger, turn into megacities, grow, absorbing neighboring settlements, villages and towns. What is the largest city in the world? You will find the answer to this question in our article.
The largest cities in the world: the problem of definition
If we take into account not the population of the city, but its area, then in this case the rating of the largest cities in the world will be somewhat different. So, the largest city on the planet (by area) is the Chinese Chongqing. It is followed by Beijing, New York and Sydney. Istanbul is the largest city in Europe.
Chongqing is the largest city in the world
The title of the largest city in the world by area rightfully belongs to Chongqing. This Chinese metropolis occupies vast expanses - over 82 thousand square kilometers. Such an impressive figure is comparable in size to the territory of Austria!
The metropolis is located in central China, and its parameters are 450x470 kilometers. The Chongqing metropolitan area has almost 29 million inhabitants, but most of the population lives in the rural suburbs.
The city of Chongqing has an ancient history - it is already about 3000 years old. Such a solid age of the settlement is explained by its extremely advantageous geographical location. The city arose surrounded by three hills, at the confluence of two full-flowing rivers in China.
Tokyo is the most populated city in the world
In ancient times, Jericho was considered the most populated city in the world. In the 7th millennium BC, about 2000 people lived in it. Today, 2 thousand inhabitants is the population of a tiny town or a large village. Tokyo is the most populated city in the world in the 21st century.
This vast metropolis, the capital of Japan, is home to 37.5 million people today. Surprisingly, this is almost the same as living in all of Poland. Today, Tokyo is a major industrial, financial and cultural center not only in Japan, but throughout Asia.
New York - America's "Big Apple"
New York is the largest urban agglomeration in North America with a population of 24 million people. In addition to New York itself, this agglomeration includes the territories of another 15 US cities.
Why is New York often referred to as the "Big Apple"? Everything is very simple: according to the legend, the first fruit tree that took root in the new city was the apple tree.
Conclusion
Thus, the largest cities in the world in terms of their population exceed a number of European states. The largest metropolitan areas on the planet include: Tokyo in Japan, Delhi in India, New York in the United States, Jakarta in Indonesia and others. These cities continue to grow to this day, absorbing more and more new territories.
Every year the population of large cities, and, hence, their territory continues to increase steadily. Therefore, cities can be compared not only in terms of population, but also in terms of the area they occupy.
1. Moscow (2561.5 sq. km)
Moscow is gradually expanding and increasing its area. In 2012, there was an abrupt increase in the size of the capital, when it was decided to attach a significant piece of the territory of the Moscow region to it. Thus, the area of the metropolis now consists of 780 sq. km, located within the Moscow Ring Road (which was traditionally considered Moscow), and the remaining share is the territory of the region located outside the Moscow Ring Road in the south-west direction.
More people live in Moscow than in some rather big European countries (for example, Norway and Finland taken together, about the same number lives in Belgium and the Czech Republic). And that's just official statistics. Native Muscovites, visitors for a better life from the Russian hinterland, labor migrants from neighboring states, and students coexist in a giant "anthill". The growth of the population of Moscow is provided not by the birth rate, but by an influx from outside. The main goal of visitors is to earn money.
Rivers entangle all of Russia like a web. If you count them all to the smallest, you get over 2.5 million! But the vast majority of them...
2. St. Petersburg (1439 sq. km)
This city is the most important economic, cultural and scientific center of the country after Moscow, it is also a major transport hub. Under the protection of UNESCO is the historical center of the city and the historical and architectural monuments located in it and in the suburbs. Therefore, St. Petersburg is one of the most important tourist routes in Russia. In 2015, the city's population passed the 5 million mark. In terms of population in Europe, it is second only to Istanbul, Moscow and London. Among the northern cities of the world, it is the largest, as well as the first in Europe among the cities that are not capitals. St. Petersburg has the status of a city of federal significance. The population of Leningrad in the 1980s also reached the 5-million mark, but in the crisis years of the 1990s, the depopulation phenomenon took place here - when the death rate began to exceed the birth rate, as a result of which the city's population was significantly reduced. And only in 2012 it again reached the same 5 million mark, and by 2019 it amounted to almost 5.4 million people.
3. Volgograd (859.4 sq. km)
Volgograd - the city-hero, was originally called Tsaritsyn, then for some time Stalingrad. Now it has over a million inhabitants. The city stands on the Volga, along which the most ancient trade routes passed. This city forever associated its name with the largest Battle of Stalingrad in World War II, in which the heroism, courage and unbending will of our fighters were manifested. To perpetuate the memory of this battle, the majestic Motherland monument was erected in Volgograd, which has since become the hallmark of the city.
4. Perm (8.7 sq. km)
Perm is another Russian city with a population of one million. It is a major industrial and transport center of the country. Peter I ordered to build a city in the place of the Siberian province where copper could be mined, and the specific place was chosen by V. Tatishchev. The year of foundation of Perm is considered to be 1723. The first Ural railway was laid in 1876 through Perm. In 1940, it was renamed Molotov, but in 1957 the historical name was returned. Before the formation of the city, people settled in this place since ancient times; over 130 archaeological sites have been discovered within the city, which date back to the late Middle Ages and even the Stone Age.
5. Ufa (707.9 sq km)
More than 1.2 million people live in modern Ufa, the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan. If we take into account the population density, then the inhabitants of Ufa live much more freely than other residents of cities - for each Ufa citizen there are more than 600 square meters. m. of the city. This city is a large economic, scientific, cultural and sports center of Russia. The importance of Ufa was emphasized by the meetings of the leaders of the SCO and BRICS held here in 2015. A large share of the city is occupied by green spaces, squares and parks. There are many different monuments in the city.
According to a sociological survey, Muscovites perceive their city as a place where they can realize themselves in the spiritual, financial, business and cultural...
6. Tyumen (698 sq. km)
The first Russian city founded in Siberia was Tyumen, it happened in the 16th century. The city owes its appearance to the construction of the Tyumen prison, which was ordered to be built by the third son of Ivan IV - Fyodor Ivanovich. The population of Tyumen is now 788.7 thousand people, it is divided into 4 administrative districts. Until 2014, 19 more surrounding villages were part of the urban district and subordinated to the city, but after that they lost the status of independent settlements. The share of urban development from the entire territory of Tyumen accounts for a little more than 160 square meters. km, that is, only 23% of the area of the urban district. Near the city there are at least five geothermal springs with a water temperature of 37 to 50 degrees, they have good balneological properties. Studies of the quality of life, conducted annually in Russian cities, put Tyumen in the first place for more than a year.
It is noteworthy that during the Second World War, the body of Lenin from the mausoleum in Moscow was sent to Tyumen.
7. Ulyanovsk (622.46 sq km)
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Ulyanovsk was founded in 1648 as a frontier to protect the Russian kingdom from nomadic raids from the east. Today it is the administrative center of the Ulyanovsk region, spread out on the banks of two rivers, the Sviyaga and the Volga. Since 2015, Ulyanovsk has become a UNESCO City of Literature.
The city has a developed automotive, motor, aircraft and instrument making, 626.5 thousand people live.
8. Orsk (621.3 sq. km)
Orsk is divided into three administrative districts, and its population is only 234.4 thousand people. The city is located in picturesque places - on the spurs of the Ural Mountains. The Ural River, which flows through Orsk, is divided into Europe and Asia. It is mainly an industrial city, the second largest in the Orenburg region. It has industries such as mechanical engineering, non-ferrous metallurgy, mining, petrochemistry, light and food industries. There are about 4 dozen archaeological sites in Orsk. Especially famous is the local multi-colored jasper, the deposit of which is located right within the city, on Mount Colonel. Orsk jasper has the largest variety of color and pattern.
The territory of Russia is huge, so it is not surprising that dozens of waterfalls are scattered on it, in its most diverse corners. Some of them are so...
9. Kazan (614.2 sq km)
Unofficially, Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, is called the third Russian capital. This ancient city is over 1000 years old. It is multinational, 115 nationalities coexist peacefully in Kazan, but the backbone is made up of Russians (48.6%) and Tatars (47.6%). Kazan is a significant cultural, economic, scientific and religious center of Russia, as well as a large river port. Sports in Kazan are also developing very rapidly. The city authorities attach great importance to the development of tourism and encourage the holding of various festivals. The main architectural attraction here is the Kazan Kremlin, which is under the protection of UNESCO.
9. Voronezh (596.5 sq km)
In 2010, over 20 suburban small settlements entered the urban district of Voronezh, which significantly increased the birth rate. As a result, in 2012 the population of the city exceeded one million and continues to grow gradually. From the west, the Don River flows through the city, and to the east, the Voronezh River, turned into a reservoir. This neighborhood allowed Voronezh to become a major river transport hub. Although many remarkable architectural monuments have been preserved in Voronezh, it does not lag behind in modern creativity either: there are sculptures of the White Bim from the famous feature film and a charming kitten from the Soviet cartoon. Also erected in Voronezh and a monument to Peter I.
10. Omsk (566.9 sq km)
During the Civil War in the 20s of the last century, Omsk was proclaimed the capital of the Russian State, since the Headquarters of Admiral Kolchak and the center of the White movement were located here. Now Omsk is one of the largest Russian cities, and recently it has again become the capital - this time of the Siberian Cossack army. It is the second most populous city in Siberia (1.17 million inhabitants). Many architectural monuments have been preserved in Omsk, the most significant of which are the Omsk Fortress included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list and the Assumption Cathedral, which was included in the catalog of examples of world temple architecture.
Hands to Feet. Subscribe to our groupIn the world today there are more than 2.6 million cities, the population of which can be estimated at tens of millions of inhabitants, and may not exceed twenty citizens. In the world ranking of the most populated cities, Russia is in eleventh place with 12.3 million people living in Moscow. The first ten places were distributed among such countries as China, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Turkey, Japan.
1. Chongqing
The first place in the ranking of the largest cities in terms of population in the world is occupied by Chongqing, which has 53.2 million people and an area of 82.4 thousand km 2. The settlement is located, in terms of the number of inhabitants and territory, far ahead of all other cities, in China at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialingjiang rivers, in total, about eighty rivers flow through the city with suburbs. The city is 470 km long and 450 km wide. The urbanized zone of Chongqing occupies 1473 km2. The city consists of 26 districts, 8 counties and 4 autonomous regions.
2. Shanghai
The second place among the largest cities in terms of population is also occupied by the Chinese city, which is Shanghai. 24.152 million people live on an area of 6.34 thousand km2. Located in the eastern part of the country in the Yangtze River Delta, the city is a major seaport and the most important cultural and financial center of the state. Shanghai is divided into 17 districts, to the east of the city is the East China Sea. The economic development of this settlement is carried out according to a unique system, including several selected growth zones corresponding to certain areas of industry, trade or science.
3. Karachi
The third position in the ranking of the largest cities is occupied by Karachi, a port city in Pakistan with a population of 23.5 million people. It is an important banking and industrial center in the country, significantly influencing the economic development of the state. The area of the city occupies 3530 km2. Karachi is the largest educational center in South Asia. The settlement is located on the coast of the Indian Ocean, in particular, the Arabian Sea. The city belongs to the province of Sindh and has a three-level principle of division, it includes 18 tehsils.
4. Beijing
The capital of China, Beijing, with a population of 21.7 million people, ranks fourth in the world in terms of the number of inhabitants. The area of the territories is estimated at 16.8 thousand km 2. For China, the city has the most important political, cultural, and transport significance. The administrative division provides for the presence of 14 regions and 2 counties. Beijing's architecture has a whimsical mix of styles, including a fusion of 50s developments with the latest skyscrapers with a futuristic look. The rich history of the city has made it a world tourist destination with a steady increase in the flow of foreign tourists.
5. Delhi
Located in northern India on the Jamna River, Delhi, with a population of 16.3 million, ranks fifth in the ranking. The settlement is distinguished by its multinational composition and a mixture of cultural traditions. The economy of the city is completely dependent on the activities of various ethnic groups. There are more than 60,000 monuments of world significance in Delhi. The area of the city occupies 1483 km 2 , the territory is divided into three city corporations. Delhi has nine districts, each of which includes three districts. The city is a national capital region.
6. Lagos
Nigeria's most populated city, Lagos, is the sixth most populous city in the world. With a population of 15.1 million people, the settlement is recognized as the largest in Africa. Until 1991, the city with an area of 999.5 km 2 was the capital of Nigeria. Lagos has a complex location, occupying the territory of the islands and the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The city includes 16 local government territories, almost completely occupying the state of the same name. Almost 50 percent of Nigerian industry is located in this locality, the city is recognized as the center of the national film industry.
7. Istanbul
The seventh place in the world in terms of population is occupied by Istanbul, the number of inhabitants of which is 13.8 million people. An important cultural and industrial center of Turkey, a major port of the country is located on the banks of the Bosphorus. The area of the settlement covers the territory of 5343 km 2. The city is located in Europe and Asia, on the territory of the first there are two urban areas, in the second - 35 districts. Most of the residents profess Islam, while the townspeople are loyal to foreign citizens who unintentionally violate religious traditions.
8. Tokyo
In eighth place in the ranking of large cities in the world is Tokyo with 13.3 million inhabitants. The capital of Japan has an area of 2.188 km 2 and is located on the island of Honshu on the Pacific coast. The city is a prefecture of the country and has the most important economic, cultural and financial significance for the state. Tokyo occupies one of the leading places in the world in terms of urban economic growth. The city includes 23 special districts, 26 cities, 1 county and 4 districts. Part of the administrative divisions of Tokyo is located on other islands.
9. Guangzhou
Located in the south of China, the city of Guangzhou and the administrative center of Guangdong province with a population of 13 million people covers an area of 7434 km 2. The settlement is a large commercial and industrial center, a seaport of the South China Sea, as well as a city with more than 2000 years of history. Administratively, Guangzhou is divided into ten districts and two counties. The tourism industry has a significant impact on the economic development of the city, the settlement is known beyond the borders of China and is popular with foreign guests.
10. Mumbai
Mumbai occupies the tenth place in the ranking of the largest cities. The settlement, located on the coast of the Arabian Sea, has a population of 12.4 million people. The area of territories exceeds 600 km 2 . Mumbai is located in the western part of India and is an important international transport center and a major seaport. In the life of the state, the settlement plays a decisive cultural and economic significance. Mumbai consists of two parts, the city itself and the suburbs, which are administratively divided into 23 districts.
More than 50% of the world's population are city dwellers. Based on the fact that 7 billion people live on the planet, there are approximately 50 people for every square kilometer of the earth's surface. However, there are places where the accuracy of people is amazing. For example, the largest favela in Rio de Janeiro has a density of 48,000 people per sq. km.
The largest cities in the world by population
We present you the top 10 largest cities in the world in terms of population. All the given data on the number of citizens are taken from Wikipedia, Worldatlas and other open sources and are relevant for 2017.
Population: 13.5 million people
Guangzhou is the educational, economic, technological and cultural center of southern China. Its location on the banks of the Pearl River has contributed to its growth as an important port city.
The population of Guangzhou is replenished mainly by foreign emigrants, as well as illegal migrants from the countries of the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. Thanks to this, the city has earned a reputation as the "capital of the Third World".
Population: 13.7 million people
Japan's capital is known for its modern design, dedication to cutting-edge technology and crowded streets. In 2010, a population boom began in Tokyo and for the first time in its history, the population exceeded 13 million people. The city authorities attributed the population growth to the intensive construction of condominiums and the increase in the number of foreigners.
Population: 14.8 million people
Istanbul is a tourist city that attracts visitors from all over the world. However, in addition to this, it serves as the focus of the Turkish economy.
Now the construction of the new Istanbul Airport is in full swing, which will be able to receive 150 million passengers a year. It should become the largest airport in the world. The opening of the new air harbor is scheduled for 2018. After that, the old Ataturk Airport will be closed.
Population: 15.1 million people
The commercial center of his country and one of the fastest growing African cities. Lagos is also famous for being the center of Nollywood (Nigerian film industry).
Population: 15.4 million people
Tianjin is located in the northern coastal zone of China and has over 15 million inhabitants.
It is curious that in this Chinese port city until 1919 there was a post office of Russia. Or rather, the Russian Empire.
Population: 16.7 million people
Delhi is an ancient city located in northern India. According to the UN forecast, by 2030 the population of Delhi will grow by almost 10 million people.
Population: 21.5 million people
By 2030, the population of the Chinese capital may reach 27 million people. And as the cultural center of China, Beijing boasts seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
In addition, Beijing has established itself as an industrial sector since the communist revolution in 1949. Automobiles, textiles, aerospace and semiconductors are just a few of the products that are produced in this city.
Population: 23.5 million people
It is hard to imagine that once this multi-million dollar city was a small fishing village. Currently, Karachi is the economic and industrial center of Pakistan and its population is constantly growing, mainly due to migrants from various countries of South Asia.
Karachi has a reputation as a center of higher education in South Asia and the Muslim world.
Population: 24.2 million people
Shanghai's population is expected to reach 50 million by 2050, driven by economic growth and rapid urbanization.
Population: 53.2 million people
The largest city in terms of population is one of the 5 national central cities of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and is located in southwest China.
Such a large number of residents is due to the huge number of migrant workers, many of whom live in Chongqing for less than 6 months a year. At the same time, less than 7 million people live in the urbanized area of the metropolis.
For comparison: 12.4 million people live in Moscow. And taking into account the Moscow region - 16 million.
Like the rest of China, Chongqing has a demographic problem. While the labor force is still fueled by economic growth, the effects of the one-child policy have taken their toll. The labor force is shrinking, while the elderly population is growing exponentially. As one analyst said, China could be the first major country to get old before it gets rich.
The largest city in the world in terms of population has a large gap between born boys and girls under 20, and this threatens to cause problems in the future. For example, this can cause a drop in the birth rate and, accordingly, a shortage of labor. But the majority of Chongqing women are unlikely to face the fate of remaining an old maid "with 40 cats."
The largest cities in the world by area
Many Russians to the question "what is the largest city in the world?" proudly answer: "Moscow". And they will be wrong. Although the Russian capital is the largest metropolis in Europe both in area (2,561 km2) and in terms of population, it is inferior in size to foreign million-plus cities.
We present you the largest cities in the world, if the territory controlled by the city administration is taken as the main parameter.
Area: 9,965 km²
Most (namely, 60%) of the capital of the Republic of the Congo is occupied by sparsely populated rural areas. However, it is included in the administrative boundaries of the city. Crowded, but small urban areas are located in the west of the province.
Kinshasa is one of the cities with the largest French-speaking population (in the first place, of course, Paris). And if the current demographic situation continues, then in 2020 Kinshasa will surpass Paris in terms of the number of inhabitants.
Area: 9,990 km²
In Australia, one of the most urbanized countries in the world, 89.01% of the population lives in urban areas. With 4.44 million people living in Melbourne, it is only slightly behind number seven on the list. But all the big Australian cities have one thing in common - they are located near the coastline. The coastal areas encouraged the growth of the first European settlements, which quickly developed into modern bustling metropolitan areas.
Area: 11,943 km²
Tianjin - the "commercial gateway" of Beijing - began to develop as a trading center after the Grand Canal was built during the Sui Dynasty.
The city especially grew during the reign of the Qing Dynasty, and during the existence of the Republic of China. The most dynamically developing sector of the urban economy is the seaport of Tianjin.
Rosneft and China National Petroleum Corporation have also agreed to build an oil refinery in Tianjin. The signing of the construction schedule became known back in 2014. The start-up of the plant is scheduled for 2019.
Area: 12,367 km²
The city of 4.84 million expanded rapidly following the development of the Harbor Bridge. Its residential areas are surrounded by beautiful national parks. And on the extremely indented coastline there was a place for numerous beaches, bays, coves and islands.
Area: 12,390 km²
The city, which was once famous for its brocade, and at one time was the capital of China, in addition to its impressive size, boasts the world's largest Buddha statue. The height of the Big Buddha, carved into the rock, is 71 meters. According to the locals, "Gradually, the mountain becomes the Buddha, and the Buddha becomes the mountain."
Area: 15,061 km²
Once the capital of the state of Eritrea was 4 villages founded in the 12th century. And now it is the largest city in the country, which is called the "New Rome" due to the Italian spirit in architecture. In 2017, Asmara was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The name of the metropolis was previously pronounced as Asmara - "flowering forest" in translation from the Tigrinya language.
Area: 15,826 km²
The administrative center (and once the capital) of the state of Queensland was not always a city. He "gathered" from 20 separate municipalities and acquired the status of a city in 1925.
Now Brisbane is the fastest growing Australian city, and at the same time one of the most multinational in the world.
Area: 16,411 km²
More than 20 million people live in the capital of China. The Beijing urban area diverges in circles that are between the concentric ring roads of the city. The largest of them is the Sixth Ring Road, which runs even through the satellite cities of the Chinese capital.
In 2020, Beijing will host guests and participants of the Winter Olympics, and in 2008 it hosted the Summer Games.
Area: 16,847 km²
During the Southern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou was the most populated city in the world. It is still rather big, the number of citizens has exceeded 8 million people.
The city is famous for its natural beauty and tea plantations. As the Chinese proverb says, “There is heaven in heaven, and on earth there is Suzhou and Hangzhou.”
Area: 82,403 km²
The largest and most populated city in the world is Chongqing. Most of the population lives outside the urbanized zone, the size of which is 1,473 km². And the total area of the city, together with suburban and rural areas, corresponds to the size of Austria.
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10th - Wuhan
People settled in the area over 3,000 years ago. During the Han Dynasty, Hanyang, located at the confluence of the Han and Yangtze, became an important port. About 300 years ago, Hankow became one of the four leading trading cities in the country. As a result of the Second Opium War, Hankow was opened to international trade. Foreign concessions were created in the city - British, French, German, Japanese and Russian.
The territory of the metropolis consists of 3 parts- Wuchang, Hankou and Hanyang, which together are referred to as the "Tri-Cities of Wuhan". These three parts stand opposite each other on different banks of the rivers, they are connected by bridges, one of which is considered the first bridge of the modern type in China and is simply called the "First Bridge". The city center is on a plain, while its southern part is hilly.
The city is surrounded by lakes and swamps, formed partly from the remnants of the old Yangtze river bed, exit through the lake zone is carried out by dams. Outside, beyond the lake zone, the city is surrounded by a car ring.
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9th place - Kinshasa
The first Europeans to appear on the territory of modern Kinshasa were Portuguese in the 15th century. However, the Belgians were the most successful in the colonization of the Congo, who were helped by civil strife in the local feudal states. The city on the site of modern Kinshasa was founded in 1881 by the famous African explorer Henry Morton Stanley and was created as a trading post. Initially, the city was named Leopoldville in honor of the Belgian King Leopold II, who owned vast territories where the Democratic Republic of the Congo is now located.
Kinshasa - a city of sharp contrasts, where rich areas, shopping areas and three universities coexist with the poorest slums. The city is located along the south bank of the Congo River across from Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo. It is the only place in the world where two capitals directly face each other on opposite banks of a river.
The Congo River is the second longest river in Africa after the Nile, at the same time being the most full-flowing on the continent (in the world, in this indicator, it is second only to the Amazon).
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8th place - Melbourne
The area adjacent to the Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay, on which Melbourne is currently located, was inhabited by representatives of the Wurungeri tribe of Australian Aborigines before the arrival of Europeans. It is generally accepted that Aboriginal people have lived in this area for at least 40 thousand years. The first attempt to establish a European colony here was made by the British in 1803. In May and June 1835, what is now the center and north of the city was surveyed by John Batman, one of the founders of the Port Phillip Association, who entered into an agreement with 8 chiefs of the Wurungeri tribe for the sale of 600,000 acres of adjacent land.
Thanks to the gold rush in this state, the city quickly turned into a metropolis and by 1865 became the largest and most important city in Australia, but already at the beginning of the 20th century it lost the palm to Sydney. Between 1901, when the Federation of Australia was formed, and until 1927, when the city of Canberra became the capital of the state, Australian government offices were located in Melbourne.
Melbourne ranks among the 50 largest financial centers in the world according to the MasterCard World Commercial Centers Index and second place in Australia, second only to Sydney.
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7th place - Tianjin
Before the Song Empire, the Haihe Valley was sparsely populated. In the 12th century, warehouses for grain and other products of central and southern China appeared here, which were distributed from here to the northern regions of the country. Under the Yuan Empire, salt pans were established in the Tianjin region. The transfer of the capital from Nanjing to Beijing led to the rapid growth of the settlement, which was fortified and in 1368 received the name "protection of the heavenly ford" (Tianjinwei). The city has become a gateway to Beijing for the entire population of southern and central China. Europeans admired the newly built temples of the city and the 7.6 m high wall surrounding it.
In the 20th century, Tianjin became the locomotive of Chinese industrialization, the largest center of heavy and light industry. Is part of the project "Economics of the Bohai Ring". The city is experiencing a construction boom. The tallest building is the 75-story skyscraper Tianjin International Financial Center, the 117-story skyscraper "Goldin Finance 117" is under construction.
Tianjin is home to the National Supercomputing Center, home to the world's fastest supercomputer, Tianhe-1A, from October 2010 to June 2011.
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6th place - Sydney
Modern studies based on radioisotope analysis indicate that the indigenous inhabitants of Australia, the Aborigines, first came to the area in which Sydney is now located, approximately 30,000 years ago.
Sydney is an unusual metropolis, in which the highest skyscrapers in the center are in harmony with the vast private sector around the city. Under the New South Wales Ordinance of 1829, new private houses were built at least 14 feet from the street to provide enough space in front of each house for a front garden. By the beginning of the 20th century Australians adopted American style front yards without fences, to create park streets, encourage good neighborly relations, prevent anti-social behavior and crime.
The most important sectors of Sydney's economy, judging by the number of workers employed in them, are the service sector, trade, manufacturing, healthcare and utilities. Since the 1980s, the overall situation on the labor market has changed in such a way that more and more jobs are moving from the manufacturing sector to the service sector and the information technology sector. Sydney's economy is approximately 25 % from the entire Australian economy.
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5th place - Chengdu
Chengdu originated in the 4th century BC. e. When people came to these places during the founding of the kingdom of Shu, they were told: "The first year became a harvestable area, the second became a city, the third year became a capital"; from the words "establish the city" and the name "Chengdu" appeared. In the ancient kingdom of Shu, Chengdu, Xindu and Guandu (modern Shuangliu), collectively referred to as the "three Du", were famous, but later it was Chengdu that rose, and Xindu and Guandu have now become its constituent parts.
Chengdu is a major center of economy, trade, finance, science and technology, as well as an important center of transport and communications. According to the 2007 World Bank report on the global investment climate, Chengdu was declared the benchmark for China's investment climate. Also, according to a study by Nobel laureate in economics Robert Mundell and renowned Chinese economist Li Yining, published by the National Information Center in 2010, Chengdu has become the engine of the Western development program and benchmark of China's investment climate, and also - the main center of new urbanization.
The city is one of the most important centers of the automotive industry and the production of auto parts in the country. The city produces several hundred thousand cars a year and plans to increase production to 1.25 million in 2020. Automakers such as Volvo, FAW Volkswagen, FAW Toyota and Sinotruk Wangpai. There are also about 200 major manufacturers of components for German, Japanese and other automobile lines.
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4th place - Brisbane
Aboriginal people have inhabited the territory of modern Brisbane since ancient times. In 1823, a survey party led by John Oxley traveled down the Brisbane River and reached what is now known as the Brisbane Business Centre. In 1824, a colony for exiles was established here, and in 1842, when this colony was abolished, the city began to develop rapidly.
Brisbane in population growth rate ranks 1st place in Australia. According to official figures, between 1999 and 2004, the city's population grew by 11.5%.
An interesting fact is that if the northern coast of the river in the city is called Brisbane City Center and contains numerous "business points", including clothing stores, household and digital appliances, car services, etc., then the south coast is called south bank and includes numerous recreational areas, including: South Bank Parkland, City Beach, etc.
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3rd place - Beijing
Cities in the Beijing area have existed since the first millennium BC. On the territory of the modern capital of China, the city was located Ji - the capital of the Yan kingdom, one of the states of the period of the Warring States (473-221 BC). After the fall of Yan, the subsequent states of Han and Jin included this area in various districts. During the Tang Dynasty, this area became the headquarters of Jiedushi Fanyang, the military governor of the northern part of present-day Hebei Province. In 755, the An Lushan Rebellion began here and is often seen as the starting point for the fall of the Tang Empire.
Recently, Beijing has become increasingly famous as a center of innovative entrepreneurship and successful venture capital business. This growth is fueled by a large number of Chinese and foreign venture capital firms, such as Sequoia Capital, headquartered in the Chaoyang area. Despite the fact that Shanghai is considered the economic center of China, this is largely due to the fact that a large number of large companies are located there, however center of entrepreneurship in China called Beijing. In addition, Beijing is the world leader in the production of melamine and melamine compounds (ammeline, ammelide and cyanuric acid).
Many significant forums are held in Beijing every year, for example, the Russian-Chinese Economic Forum, where not only politicians but also businessmen are invited to participate. Economic forums stimulate the signing of contracts between Russian and Chinese companies, which leads to the achievement of an important task - an increase in foreign trade turnover between China and Russia.
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2nd place - Hangzhou
Hangzhou, formerly called Lin'an, served as the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty in the pre-Mongol era and was the most populated city in the world at that time. And now the city is famous for its tea plantations and natural beauties, the most famous of which is Xihu Lake ("Western Lake").
The city has preserved its historical past. Every weekend, thousands of Chinese from all over China, Hong Kong, Macau come here to visit the famous parks and monuments. Hangzhou is also a major industrial center, a city of thousands of Chinese corporations. Here many goods are produced, starting with refrigerators, machines, equipment, thermoses and much more. The city has a modern airport from which you can fly to almost any major city in Southeast Asia.
There is a saying in China: "There is heaven in heaven, there is Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth".
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1st place - Chongqing
Appeared about 3 thousand years ago. In ancient times, the city was the capital of the Ba kingdom and was called Jiangzhou. The name "Chongqing" ("double triumph") arose in 1189, when the third son of Emperor Xiaozong became the head of the Gongzhou region, receiving the title "Prince Gong", and in the same year, after his father's abdication, he became emperor under the name Guangzong.
Chongqing is one of the largest commercial centers in China. The leading place in the economy of the city is occupied by industry. The main industries are: chemical, machine-building and metallurgical. Chongqing, together with the cities of Shanghai, Changchun and Shiyan, is China's largest automobile production base. The city has 5 factories for the production of complete vehicles and more than 400 factories for the production of automotive parts. The possibility of annual production - 200 thousand cars and 3 million motorcycles. There is also a large factory for the production of air conditioners.
Chongqing is known as "city in the mountains", the central part of the urban area, located between the beds of the Yangtze and Jialingjiang rivers, has a hilly terrain, the houses here are molded along the mountain spurs, the streets descend steeply to the shore. Chongqing at night has a particularly beautiful view, when the hills are colored with numerous lights of residential buildings, and a dark sky overturns above them, the twinkling stars of which seem to compete with the earth's illumination.
