Top 15 Most Populated Cities In The World (1700-2019)

This video ranks the top 15 most populated cities in the world from 1700 to 2019. Population numbers are based on contiguous urban area, without regard to territorial or other boundaries inside an urban area. Using urban area populations rather than political borders creates a closer measure for the true size of a city as they measure what's really there, rather than where governments drew arbitrary lines centuries ago.

If you enjoyed the video, make sure to leave a like and let me know of any feedback you have in the comments!

Datasources:

Music: The Barber of Seville, Overture - Rossini - Davis High School Symphony Orchestra
Rule, Britannia! - Gjs2 [Public domain]
The Stars and Stripes Forever - Sousa - US Army Band

[neomandude]

I have zero idea why BUT I LOVE THESE VIDEOS!!!!

[sleekoduck]

Tokyo is about to pass the population of the entire state of California.

[GandalfGreyhame]

The fact that ancient Rome reached a million in population while no cities 1800 years later could is absolutely mindblowing

[rafaelmelo]

I never thought that Lisbon was once bigger then either Moscow, Madrid, Berlin or Rome

[avamaewoo]

i narrate these videos like a sports announcer like “there goes tokyo overtaking new york city OH BUT BEIJING IS BACK WITH A VENGENCE” it’s very fun

[haytham]

I like how London just dissapeared from the list.

Great content you make, keep it up

[globeranker]

We should really be thanking RankingTheWorld.
This must take days or hard work and certainly appreciate what he's been doing.
In fact he deserves more credit than what he's gotten.
thanks RankingTheWorld!

[TinyewPoon]

Tokyo has almost 40% of the whole population of japan, that's crazy

[Iamwatchinit]

To all blind people: it`s written in the corner that these are the numbers of "urban areas" not just the cities themselfs

[PleasedTown]

Vienna literally had more people in the past than today

[The.Drunk-Koala]

1777; Beijing hits 1 million. Australia hits 1.

[cranky]

Originally Mumbai was known as Bombay till 1995, Kolkata was known as Calcutta till 2001.

[GriffithDidNothingWrong]

Very surprised my city, Lisbon, was on the list... we are so used to being a small country nowadays that we never imagined it.

[irwainnornossa]

It would be really nice if the country flags represented the way they looked at the time.

[bardiabashash]

Italians, actually napolitans, and other european, moved to buenos aires...

[alfredvinciguerra]

Rome had more than a million people at the height of the empire

[hotwax]

Nice how the music changes based on who's number one, though The Barber of Seville Overture doesn't really fit with Beijing.

[_RTheBruce]

Every Civilization player ever about Tokyo: they probably built all wonders in the game

[osmancolakgs]

İstanbul populations is over 16.000.000 people exept Surian...

[datacharts]

Fascinating video, great job. It amazes me how close Japan came to overtaking US in early, mid-90s.