50 largest cities. What is the largest city in the world by area?

In addition to natural wonders, our planet is also replete with man-made wonders - created by humanity. These, without a doubt, include the largest cities in the world - grandiose capitals, covering areas of thousands of square kilometers, and the most densely populated cities, where tens of millions of people live.

Largest cities in the world by area

First on the list of the most big cities The territory is New York. New Yorkers love to call their city the "capital of the world" - and in a sense, they mean it every right, because New York, being the most big city world, covers an area of ​​8683 square kilometers.

The second largest city in the world by area is Tokyo, the capital of Japan. A record 33.2 million people live on an area of ​​6,993 square kilometers, making Tokyo also the largest city in terms of population density and size.

In addition, the Japanese capital is characterized by very expensive accommodation - living costs in Tokyo are much higher than in other capitals of the world.

The top three in the list of the largest cities by area in the world is closed by another American city - Chicago, whose area is 5,498 square kilometers.

In the photo: the famous “giant” skyscrapers of Chicago

Chicago boasts many interesting facilities, such as O'Hare International Airport, the second busiest airport in the world. And Michael Jordan, a legendary basketball player known even to those who are not interested in this sport at all, was once born in Chicago.

In the photo: O'Hare Airport in Chicago, one of the largest airports in the world

The top five largest cities in the world in terms of territory included two more American cities - Dallas (3,644 square kilometers) and Houston (3,355 square kilometers).

22.6 million people (!) come to Dallas every year - for work or for tourism. Indeed, there's plenty to see in the world's fourth-largest city, from the gigantic Cowboys Stadium, so tall it could fit the entire Statue of Liberty, to one of the first copies of the American Declaration of Independence, which is housed in the local public library.

Pictured: the famous Dallas Cowboys stadium

Houston, the fifth largest city in the world, is located in Texas, the oil capital of the United States. Like the rest of the world's largest cities, Houston boasts many attractions. Here, for example, is the Lyndon Johnson Space Center, where you can take a tour and even have lunch with the astronauts training at the center.

Surprisingly, besides Tokyo, there is not a single city in Europe or Asia in the ranking of the ten largest cities in the world. The first European city on the list occupies only 14th place - this is Paris, whose area is 2,723 square kilometers, and in 15th place is the German Dusseldorf with an area of ​​2,642 square kilometers. Moscow, the largest city in Russia by area, occupies only a modest 23rd place in the list of the largest cities on the planet with an area of ​​2,150 square kilometers.

Largest cities in the world by population

The fact that a city has a large area does not mean that it occupies any noticeable place in the list of the largest cities in the world by population. In the ranking of the 10 largest cities on planet Earth in terms of the number of residents, there are no American cities at all, and the honorable first place is occupied by Shanghai, the largest city in China (and, at the same time, the whole world).

As of October 2014, 24,150,000 people permanently reside in Shanghai - that is, there are almost 4 people for every square kilometer. This is an extremely modest figure: for comparison, in Tokyo, which ranks second on the list of the largest cities in the world by area, the population density is almost 15 people per square kilometer.

In second place in the list of the largest cities on Earth by population is Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, but, surprisingly, not the capital of the country. Karachi, as of 2014, has a population of 23.5 million and a population density of 6.6 people per square kilometer.

Once the largest city in the world by population, Karachi was a modest fishing village with a population of several hundred people. In just over 150 years, the number of city residents has increased hundreds of thousands of times. In its not very long history, Karachi managed to be the capital of Pakistan - until Islamabad, the modern capital of the country, was built in 1960.

Another Chinese “giant” is Beijing, which has a population of 21 million and 150 thousand inhabitants. Unlike Shanghai and Karachi, which are the economic and commercial centers of their countries, Beijing is the capital of China in every sense: culturally, educationally, and administratively.

10

10th place - Wuhan

People settled in the area more than 3,000 years ago. During the Han Dynasty, Hanyang, located at the confluence of the Han and Yangtze rivers, became an important port. About 300 years ago, Hankou became one of the country's four leading trading cities. As a result of the Second Opium War, Hankou 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 called the “Wuhan Tricity”. 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 modern type in China and is simply called “The First Bridge”. The city center is flat, while the southern part is hilly.

The city is surrounded by lakes and swamps, formed partly from the remains of the old bed of the Yangtze River; access through the lake zone is carried out by dams. Outside the lake area, the city is surrounded by a traffic ring.

9

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 colonizing the Congo, helped by civil strife in the local feudal states. The city on the site of modern Kinshasa was founded in 1881 famous explorer Africa by Henry Morton Stanley and was created as a trading point. The city was originally named Leopoldville in honor of the Belgian King Leopold II, who owned vast territories that are now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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 southern bank of the Congo River opposite Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo. This the only place in a world where two capital cities directly face each other on opposite banks of a river.

The Congo River is the second longest river in Africa after the Nile, while at the same time being the deepest on the continent (in the world in this indicator it is second only to the Amazon).

8

8th place - Melbourne

The area adjacent to the Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay, which is now Melbourne, was inhabited by the Wurundjeri Aboriginal tribe of Australia 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, the area that is now the central and northern parts of the city was surveyed by John Batman, one of the founders of the Port Phillip Association, who entered into an agreement with 8 Wurundjeri chiefs for the sale of 600,000 acres of surrounding 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 1927, when Canberra became the capital of the state, Australian government offices were located in Melbourne.

Melbourne is ranked in the world's top 50 financial centers by MasterCard's World Business Centers Index and second place in Australia, second only to Sydney.

7

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, saltworks 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 received the name “protection of the heavenly ford” (Tianjinwei) in 1368. The city has become the gateway to Beijing for the entire population of southern and central China. Europeans were fascinated by the newly built temples of the city and the 7.6 m high wall that surrounded 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 "Bohai Ring Economy". The city is experiencing a construction boom. The tallest building is the 75-story Tianjin International Financial Center skyscraper, and the 117-story Goldin Finance 117 skyscraper is under construction.

Tianjin is home to the National Supercomputing Center, home to the supercomputer, Tianhe-1A, the fastest in the world from October 2010 to June 2011.

6

6th place - Sydney

Modern research based on radioisotope analysis indicates that the indigenous people of Australia, the Aborigines, first came to the area in which Sydney is now located approximately 30,000 years ago.

Sydney is an extraordinary metropolis, where the tallest skyscrapers in the center blend harmoniously with the vast private sector around the city. A New South Wales regulation of 1829 required that new private houses be built at least 14 feet from the street to provide sufficient 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-like streets, encourage good neighborly relationships, and prevent anti-social behavior and crime.

Sydney's most important economic sectors, based on the number of workers employed, are services, retail, manufacturing, healthcare and public services. Since the 1980s, the overall labor market situation has changed in such a way that an increasing number of jobs are moving from manufacturing to service and industrial sectors. information technologies. Sydney's economy is approximately 25 % from the entire Australian economy.

5

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 gathering area, the second became a city, the third year became a capital.”; From the words “to establish a city” the name “Chengdu” appeared. In the ancient kingdom of Shu, Chengdu, Xindu and Guangdu (modern Shuangliu), together called the “three Dus,” were famous, but later it was Chengdu that rose to prominence, and Xindu and Guangdu have now become its constituent parts.

Chengdu is a major center of economics, trade, finance, science and technology, as well as an important center of transport and communications. According to the World Bank's 2007 report on the global investment climate, Chengdu was declared the benchmark for the investment climate in China. Also, according to a study conducted Nobel laureate economics by Robert Mundell and famous Chinese economist Li Yinging, published by the State Information Center in 2010, Chengdu has become the engine of the Western development program and benchmark for China's investment climate, and also the main center of new urbanization.

The city is one of the country's most important automotive and auto parts production centers. The city produces several hundred thousand cars a year and plans to increase production to 1.25 million in 2020. The following automakers are represented in Chengdu: Volvo, FAW Volkswagen, FAW Toyota and Sinotruk Wangpai. There are also about 200 major manufacturers of car components from German, Japanese and other lines.

4

4th place - Brisbane

The territory of modern Brisbane has been inhabited by Aborigines since ancient times. In 1823, an exploring party led by John Oxley traveled down the Brisbane River to what is now known as 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 ranks highest in population growth rate 1st place in Australia. According to official data, 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 outlets”, including clothing stores, household and digital equipment stores, car services, etc., then the south coast is called South Bank and includes numerous recreational facilities, including: South Bank Parkland, City Beach, and others.

3

3rd place - Beijing

Cities in the Beijing area have existed since the first millennium BC. On the territory of the modern capital of China there was a city Ji - the capital of the Yan Kingdom, one of the states of the Warring States period (473-221 BC). After the fall of Yan, the subsequent states of Han and Jin included this area in various districts. During the Tang Empire, this area became the headquarters of Jiedushi Fanyang, the military governor of the northern part of modern Hebei Province. In 755, the An Lushan Rebellion began here, which is often seen as the starting point of the fall of the Tang Empire.

Recently, Beijing has become increasingly famous as a center of innovative entrepreneurship and successful venture business. This growth is enhanced by a large number of Chinese and foreign venture capital firms, such as Sequoia Capital, headquartered in the Chaoyang region. 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, however entrepreneurship center in China called Beijing. In addition, Beijing is a world leader in the production of melamine and melamine compounds (ammeline, ammelide and cyanuric acid).

Beijing hosts many significant forums every year, for example, the Russian-Chinese Economic Forum, in which 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 - increasing foreign trade turnover between China and Russia.

2

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 populous city in the world at that time. And now the city is famous for its tea plantations and natural beauty, the most famous of which is Lake Xihu (“West 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, home to thousands of Chinese corporations. Here many goods are produced, starting with refrigerators, cars, equipment, thermoses and much more. The city has a modern airport from which you can fly to almost any Big City South-East Asia.

There is a saying in China: "There is heaven in heaven, Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth".

1

1st place - Chongqing

It 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, became emperor under the name Guangzong.

Chongqing is one of the largest commercial centers in China. Leading place The city's economy is dominated by industry. The main industries are: chemical, mechanical engineering and metallurgical. Chongqing, together with the cities of Shanghai, Changchun and Shiyan, is China's largest automobile manufacturing base. The city has 5 factories for the production of complete cars and more than 400 factories for the production of automobile parts. Possibility of annual production - 200 thousand cars and 3 million motorcycles. It is also home to a large air conditioning factory.

Chongqing is known as "hail in the mountains", the central part of the urban area, located between the beds of the Yangtze and Jialingjiang rivers, has a hilly topography, houses here are clinging to mountain spurs, and the streets slope steeply to the shore. Chongqing has a particularly beautiful view at night, when the hills are colored with numerous lights of residential buildings, and the dark sky overturns above them, the twinkling stars of which seem to compete with the earthly illumination.

Every country in the world has a huge number of cities. Small and large, poor and rich, resort and industrial.

All settlements are remarkable in their own way. One is famous for its landscapes, another is famous for its entertainment, and the third for its history. But there are also cities that are famous due to their area. So, here are the largest cities in the world by area.

The largest city in the world

Chongqing is administratively divided into 19 districts, 15 counties and 4 autonomous counties. According to 2010 data, the population is 28,846,170 people. But more than 80 percent of the residents live in rural areas; only 6 million people live in the city itself.

Chongqing is one of the ancient cities of China, its history goes back more than 3000 years. In the late Paleolithic era, primitive people already lived here. This is due to the fact that the city was founded on the site where the Jialing River flows into the deep Yangtze.

The city is surrounded by three mountains: Dabashan in the north, Wushan in the east and Dalushan in the south. Due to the hilly landscape of the area, Chongqing was nicknamed "mountain city" (Shancheng). It is located at an altitude of 243 meters above sea level.

The largest cities in the world

One of the largest is the New York agglomeration, formed around one large core city of New York. Its total area is 30,671 square meters. km, population – almost 24 million people. The Greater New York metropolitan area also includes Northern New Jersey, Long Island, Newark, Bridgeport, five largest cities New Jersey (Newark, Jersey City, Elizabeth, Paterson and Trenton) and six of the seven largest cities in Connecticut (Bridgeport, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, Norwalk, Danbury).

The largest cities in North America by area

Second place goes to Los Angeles, the city of angels, located in the south of California, its area is 1302 square meters. km. The city is the center of Greater Los Angeles, an agglomeration with a population of over 17 million people. It is also better known as a center for the film industry and entertainment in the fields of music and computer games.

The largest city in North America by area is Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. The area of ​​the city is almost 1500 square meters. km, and this territory is home to 9 million people, it is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The city was built in a seismic zone, and earthquakes occur here quite often, which determines the low level of buildings and, accordingly, its length and area.

Once upon a time, on the territory of the modern Mexican capital, there was a settlement of the Aztec tribe, called Tenochtitlan. At the beginning of the 16th century, the Spanish conquerors founded new town, from which Mexico City grew.

The largest cities in South America by area

Sao Paulo is a city of contrasts; on the one hand, it is the most modern city in Brazil, built with skyscrapers made of glass and concrete (the tallest building in the country, the Miranti do Vali skyscraper, is located here). On the other hand, the city dates back to the 16th century, and on its territory many “echoes of the past” have been preserved - ancient buildings, museums, churches, which harmoniously combine with modern buildings.

Second place belongs to the city of Bogota, the capital of Colombia. The largest city in the country, its area is 1,587 square meters. km. Bogota was founded by Spanish colonialists in 1538. The city was located on the site of an Indian fortress called Bacata and became the capital of New Grenada, which is the name Quesada gave to the conquered territory. In 1598, Bogota became the capital of the Captaincy General of Spain, and in 1739 of the Viceroyalty of New Grenada.

It is a city of futuristic architecture combined with churches in colonial style and insignificant historical buildings, inhabited by an unfavorable contingent: homeless people, thieves and robbers. Bogota and its suburbs are home to 7 million people, which is one sixth of Colombia's total population. But Bogota is only the second largest city in South America.

The top spot is taken by Brasilia. The area of ​​the capital of the Republic of Brazil is 5802 square meters. km. True, it became the capital quite recently - on April 21, 1960, becoming the third capital of the country, after Salvador and Rio de Janeiro. The city was specifically planned and built in the central part in order to utilize inactive areas, attract population and develop outlying areas. The capital is located on the Brazilian plateau, far from the main political areas.

Construction of the city began in 1957 according to a unified plan, focused on progressive construction technologies and the fundamentals of modern urban planning. It was intended as ideal city. In 1986, the city of Brasilia was named "patrimony of humanity" by UNESCO.

The largest cities in Europe by area

London from above

But London ranks only third on the list of largest cities in Europe. The second place is firmly assigned to the capital of our Motherland - Moscow. Its area is 2510 sq. km, with a population of 12 million people, according to official data. This is the largest city not only in Russia, but also in Europe; it is also among the top ten cities in the world according to such a criterion as population.

The city is not only the political and administrative, cultural and tourist center of the country, but an important transport hub for the entire country. The city is served by 5 airports, 9 railway stations, 3 river ports.

The largest city in Europe is Istanbul. One of the largest cities on the planet and the largest city in Turkey. Istanbul is the former capital of the Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman Empires. The city is located on the banks of the Bosphorus Strait. Its area is 5343 sq. km.

Until 1930, the internationally accepted name of the city was Constantinople. Another name, which is still used in the title of the Patriarch of Constantinople, is the Second Rome or New Rome. In 1930, Turkish authorities ordered the use of only the Turkish version of the name Istanbul. Russified version - Istanbul.

The largest cities in Africa by area

Tourists choose it for its beautiful beaches and surfing. The city center is dotted with Old Dutch mansions and ornate Victorian buildings.

The largest city in Africa is Kinshasa - the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, its area is almost 10 thousand sq. km. Until 1966, this city was called Leopoldville. The population of Kinshasa is more than 10 million people. But 60 percent of the city is sparsely populated countryside, which is located within the city limits. Densely populated areas occupy a small part of the territory in the west of the city. However, Kinshasa is the third largest city in the world by area.

The city is located on the Congo River, along its southern coast, stretching over a long distance. Opposite is the city of Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo. This is the only place in the world where two capitals different countries directly facing each other on opposite banks of the river.

Kinshasa is also the second most French-speaking city in the world, second only to Paris. But judging by the rate of population growth, after some time it may overtake the French capital. This is a city of contrasts. Here, wealthy areas with high-rise buildings, shopping centers and cafes juxtapose with slums of huts and shacks.

The largest cities by area in Australia and Oceania

By the way, the city is the capital of the state of New South Wales. Sydney was founded in 1788 by Arthur Philip, who came to the mainland with the First Fleet. This site is the first colonial European settlement in Australia. The city itself was named by the colonists in honor of Lord Sidney, who at that time was the British Secretary of the Colonies.

Largest cities by area in Asia

Later, the Indo-Greek seaport of Barbarikon was formed. In 1729, the fishing town of Kalachi-jo-Ghosh became a significant trading center. After 110 years there was a long period of British colonization. Local residents fought against European invaders, but only in 1940 were they able to become part of independent Pakistan.

Shanghai occupies almost twice the territory of Karachi, its area is 6340 sq. km. It is the third largest city in China and the most populous, with a population of almost 24 million people. One of the largest ports in the world is located here, and the city in general is recognized as the largest trading center. The dynamically developing city boasts its ancient history; it is also the first city in China to which European culture came.

The territory of another Chinese city, Guangzhou, is slightly larger than Shanghai, and is 7434.4 square meters. km on land and 744 sq. km at sea. It is the capital of Guangdong Province. With a population of over 13 million people, Guangzhou is the fourth largest city in China, behind Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin. It has a history of more than 2000 years, and it was from here, from Canton (that was the former name of the city of Guangzhou) that the famous “Silk Road” began. Ships with strange Chinese goods - silk, porcelain and the like - departed from its trading port.

Largest city by area in the world

Beijing has almost always been the residence of many emperors throughout its 3,000-year history, and to this day retains its status as the center of the country. Imperial palaces, tombs, temples and parks have been preserved here. Ancient Chinese traditions are honored here, regularly restoring ancient buildings, along with growing new areas and high-rise buildings. Beijing is also considered the safest city in the world. On the Find Out Everything website you can also read an article about the most populated cities in the world. And the list of the largest cities by area does not always coincide with the list of the largest cities by population.
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What is the largest city in the WORLD?

9 (5.0 % )

2 (1.1 % )

28 (15.5 % )

7 (3.9 % )

25 (13.8 % )

Buenos Aires

6 (3.3 % )

2 (1.1 % )

10 (5.5 % )

81 (44.8 % )

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11 (6.1 % )

Now let's find out the history of the largest city in the world...

Tokyo is the city that everyone who comes to Japan wants to see first in any case. A huge metropolis, with a population of 12 million people, it is one of the youngest of all major Japanese cities.

The word "Tokyo" translated from Japanese means "Eastern Capital". The city bearing this name is the capital of Japan and is an agglomeration located in the Kanto region, in the east of the main Japanese island Honshu. It consists of 23 districts on the territory of the former independent administrative unit - Tokyo city. In 1943, the city of Tokyo was abolished as an administrative unit. Now these districts, together with the cities and municipalities of the western Tama region, as well as the southern islands of Izu and Ogasawara, form Tokyo Prefecture.

Archaeological excavations indicate that the place where the capital of Japan is now located was inhabited by ancient tribes back in the Stone Age. The early inhabitants of the Jomon period (10,000 BC) were fishermen, hunters, and farmers. This valley of abundance has now been swallowed up by a huge city on the shores of Tokyo Bay.

By 300, Japan was already more or less a single nation. The main life was concentrated in the Kansai region, where the cities of Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka are currently located. The eastern region of Kanto remained a distant, quiet backwater, forgotten by gods and people. It was not until the 12th century that a small Edo village was built on this site. The people who lived in these places were mainly engaged in fishing and actually lived on subsistence farming.

In 1457, on the site where the Eastern Garden of the Imperial Palace is now located, Ota Dokan began building a castle on the site of an old fort near the small Hibiya Bay. Ten years later, the devastating Onin War raged on the streets of the capital city of Kyoto. Many aristocrats left the capital and took refuge in the far eastern domains of Dokan. Even then, all the prerequisites were created for the transformation of the poor Edo village into a city, but Ota Dokan was killed, and his contribution to the development of the region was wasted.

But Tokyo in the 50s

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In 1543, Portuguese missionaries and traders first set foot on Japanese soil. By that time, the feudal lords (daimyo) had turned the country into a patchwork of independent provinces. One of the most powerful daimyos, Oda Nobunaga from Chubu Province, where the city of Nagoya is now located, quickly realized that the Portuguese could serve his ambitious plans in the struggle for power. The new religion - Christianity could be used in the fight against the power of Buddhist monks, in addition, Nobunaga found widespread use of firearms that the Portuguese brought with them. Oda was killed in 1581, but by that time he had managed to unite most of central Japan under his influence.

Nobunaga's work was continued by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but he did not look so favorably on the spread of Christianity, organizing the persecution of its representatives.

The power of Toyotomi tried to challenge Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was the son of a dayyo who served the Oda clan, however, after unsuccessful attempt, concluded a truce with Toyotomi, for which he received eight provinces in the eastern region, including the entire Kanto region with the town of Edo. Toyotomi tried to weaken Tokugawa's influence in this way by excommunicating him from his native lands of Chubu Province, but Tokugawa took this gift as an opportunity to strengthen his power and decided to turn Edo into a real city.

After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1598, power passed to his son, Toyotomi Hideyori. Tokugawa, having overthrown the heir and his followers in the legendary Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, seized real power. In 1603, the emperor awarded him the title of shogun (military ruler). The Tokugawa chose Edo as his capital, beginning the two-hundred-and-fifty-year reign of the Tokugawa clan known in Japanese history as the "Edo period" (1603-1868).

Under the Tokugawa shoguns, Edo developed at an unprecedented pace. Completed in 1637, Edo-jo Castle became the largest castle in the world during Ieyasu's lifetime. The Tokugawa seized power in the country for a long time. However, they wanted to be completely sure that not a single daimyo (as the rich feudal princes of that time were called) in a remote province could gain a foothold and become rich enough to usurp power. After all, this is what Tokugawa Ieyasu himself did in his time. The sankin kotai system was established, according to which each daimyo was required to live in Edo for a certain number of months a year “in front of” the shogun. Further more. When the feudal lord left for his province to put his personal affairs in order, he was obliged to leave his family in the capital, practically as hostages.

In the 17th century there were 270 daimyo in Japan, each maintaining several houses in Edo for family members and retinues, the opulent houses complemented by elaborate and extraordinarily expensive landscape gardens. Naturally, spending a huge amount of time and money traveling back and forth, maintaining luxurious residences both in the province and in Edo, it was difficult for the daimyo to plan anything against the shogun.

To satisfy the needs of this entire crowd of princes, samurai, and their servants, led by the shogun, traders and artisans from all over Japan rushed to the new capital. To settle them all, hills were torn down and swampy areas were filled with this earth, forming what is now called Ginza, Shimbashi and Nihombashi. By 1787, the population had risen to 1.3 million, and Edo had become one of the largest cities on Earth.

The shogunal government considered the spread of “free” ideas coming from the West, and primarily Christianity, dangerous. In addition, international trade was capable of uncontrollably enriching some daimyo. In 1633, the Tokugawa shogunate adopted a policy of complete isolation, slamming the country's doors to the outside world for more than 200 years. Foreigners were prohibited from entering the country and Japanese were prohibited from leaving it. Anyone who violated this regulation faced the death penalty. The only exception was a colony of tightly controlled Chinese traders in Nagasaki, and a handful of Dutch who were given a small trading post on a tiny island in Nagasaki.

The Edo period (1603-1867) was characterized by political stability, the country was completely controlled by the shogunate. Japanese society was divided into four classes: samurai, farmers, artisans and merchants. The manner of dressing, the neighborhoods to live in, and even turns of speech were strictly regulated, and moving from class to class was prohibited.

METRO scheme

The city was divided into two parts: the Upper City (Yamanote) and the Lower City (Shitamachi). Yamanote, which means “hand of the mountains,” was home to the wealthy daimyo and their samurai, while the lower strata of society, which included merchants and artisans, inhabited the “lower city” of Shitamachi. Residents of Shitamachi and neighboring neighborhoods lived in dirty, squalid, closely packed plywood buildings with dirt floors.

Since Edo was largely made of wood, it goes without saying that the fires that local residents with bitter irony called Edo-no-hana (Edo flowers), were a constant threat. In fact, it would be difficult to find a person who did not lose his home several times during his life. During the period 1603-1867, almost 100 major fires swept through the city, not counting countless local fires. One of the most tragic fires occurred in 1657 after three months of heat without a single rain. Picked up strong wind, the flames consumed one after another wooden buildings with thatched roofs. The fire raged for three days and destroyed three quarters of the city. More than 100,000 people died then.

Despite its unenviable social status, the prosperity of merchants grew steadily. They were forbidden to show off their wealth and to partake in the joys of life available only to samurai. In particular, they did not have the right to use the services of geishas. However, the money had to be spent somewhere. New types of luxury goods and new entertainment began to appear. The Kabuki theater very quickly gained extraordinary popularity, a new type of painting on wooden tablets, Ukiyo-e engravings, expensive porcelain tableware, silk brocade for luxurious kimonos, lacquerware- all this was raised to the level of sublime art.

One of distinctive features At that time there were entertainment districts where samurai could find wine and women prohibited in Yamanote. The most legendary area was the Yoshiwara area, northeast of the current Asakusa area. Here the rich spent time with beautiful courtesans. During the Edo period, prostitution was legalized and, like everything else in feudal Japan, strictly controlled by the Tokugawa shogunate. Red light districts sprang up in various areas of Edo, but none could compete with Yoshiwara. Opened in 1657 in the middle of rice fields, far outside the city gates, Yoshiwara was a real "fun factory": about 3,000 courtesans worked here. They say that they were so skillful that men stayed with them for several days and, having lost their heads, often left entire fortunes here.

Many of these women, such as the famous courtesan named Tayu, were beautiful in their luxurious robes, weighing about 20 kg, including a huge obi (sash) tied in the front. Of course, not all of them voluntarily embarked on this path in the hope of getting rich: many were sold to brothels in young years. To prevent these unfortunates from escaping, the area was surrounded by a moat of water, and entry or exit was possible only through a guarded gate. Courtesans were only allowed to leave the area once a year during the autumn festival. These "prisoners" were released only in 1900. The Yoshiwara district itself ceased to exist in 1957, when prostitution was banned in the country.

Another feature of Edo that has left its mark on today's Tokyo was the division of the large city into "machi" districts based on professional affiliation. Even today it is possible to stumble upon small enclaves that have a certain specialization. The most famous of these are Jimbocho, the bookstore district; Kappabashi selling kitchen utensils, and Akihabara, which now sells electronics and manga comics, and was previously a small retail and freight hub.

By the middle of the 19th century, it became clear that the feudal system had outlived its usefulness. Economic power by that time was concentrated in the hands of merchants, and money gradually entered into circulation more and more, along with rice. Many samurai clans went bankrupt and were dissatisfied with the policies of the shogunate.

To transform Edo from medieval city a world-class capital needed an outside push. This push came in 1854 with the American "black squadron" under the command of Matthew Perry. This military expedition arrived in Edo-wan (Tokyo Bay) on behalf of the President of the United States to demand the opening of Japan to international trade after centuries of isolation. Soon the Americans were followed by others Western countries. Forces dissatisfied with the regime of the Tokugawa dynasty took advantage of Western influence. In 1868, the 15th shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty was forced to abdicate power in favor of Emperor Mutsuhito (Meiji). The new Meiji government moved the capital from Kyoto to Edo Castle, renaming the city Tokyo (Eastern Capital).

This event was called the Meiji Restoration, since power again passed from the military to the emperor, and the country again received a single capital. Emperor Mutsuhito completely changed state policy, welcoming the export of ideas and technology from the West.

The Meiji Restoration was not a peaceful transfer of power. In Edo, some 2,000 Tokugawa loyalists attempted to resist the Imperial Guard forces in the brief Battle of Ueno. The battle took place in the vicinity of the picturesque Kanei-ji Temple, which, along with Zojo-ji, was one of the two family temples of the Tokugawa clan.

The word Meiji means "enlightenment", and the new rulers of Japan set a course for industrialization and militarization of society. For comparatively a short time Known as the Meiji period (1868-1911), the country quickly moved from a feudal society of samurai and peasants to an industrial state. Samurai lost their power and privileges and were no longer allowed to carry swords. A government cabinet headed by a prime minister was created, a new constitution was drawn up (1889) and a parliament (Diet) was elected. The first railways were built (1872). At the invitation of the government, more than 10,000 specialists from England, the USA, Germany, and France came to Tokyo to transform the country into a modern society.

A modernization boom has begun in Tokyo. Everything changed: fashion, architecture, food, shops. For a while, everything Japanese was completely forgotten and pushed aside.

In record time, Japan achieved its first military victories over China (1894-95) and Russia (1904-05) and set itself on the path to Western empires with the annexation of Taiwan (1895), Korea (1910) and Micronesia (1914).

Taking the path of nationalism, Japan turned Shinto into a chauvinistic state religion. Buddhism was persecuted by the state at that time, and many priceless artifacts and temples were destroyed.

During the Meiji period and the subsequent Taisho period, the changes that took place throughout the country were most noticeable in the new capital. The rapid industrialization of Tokyo, united around the emerging huge industrial and trading conglomerate (zaibatsu), attracted job seekers from all over Japan, leading to rapid population growth. Electricity arrived in Tokyo in the 1880s. Formerly dirty neighborhoods were transformed into fashionable areas, such as Ginza, where the construction of brick buildings, new to the country, was carried out. In 1904, Mitsukoshi, the first Western-style Japanese department store, appeared, and the department store building in the Nihonbashi area (1914) was called the most grandiose building east of the Suez Canal.

However, although the Meiji Restoration sounded the death knell for the former Edo, two more events lay ahead that would erase the remaining traces of the old city. In the first half of the 20th century, Tokyo was almost completely destroyed twice: in 1923, the city was hit by a powerful earthquake (about 8 on the Richter scale), known as the Great Kanto Earthquake. Even more terrible than the tremors themselves was the fire that followed the earthquake, which lasted 40 hours and devastated the city, destroying about 300,000 houses. The disaster left behind 142,000 victims. Grim reminders of this event can be seen in Memorial Museum Kanto earthquakes.

The city's reconstruction began almost immediately, following the wisdom that any business that did not resume operations within three days of the collapse had no future.

The second time a terrible disaster befell Tokyo was at the end of World War II: Allied bombs wiped out half the city, killing another 100,000 people.

Since the beginning of the reign of Emperor Hirohito (Showa Tenno) in 1926, Japanese society has been characterized by a rising tide of nationalistic fervor. In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria, and in 1937 embarked on the path of open confrontation with China. In 1940, a tripartite agreement was signed with Germany and Italy and a new order for the Asian region was formulated: the Greater East Asian Mutual Prosperity Sphere. The project was based on the desire to create "a bloc of Asian peoples, led by Japan, and free from Western powers." On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, thereby declaring war on the United States, their principal enemy in the Asia-Pacific region.

Despite initial successes, the war had disastrous consequences for Japan. On April 18, 1942, the first bombs fell on Tokyo. On the night of March 9-10, 1944, the city was subjected to an unprecedented raid, during which 2/5 of the capital was destroyed, almost the entire area of ​​the “lower city” Shitamachi” was turned into ruins. About 80,000 people died that night. Later, the Sensoji Buddhist Temple in Asakusa and the Meji Jingu Shinto Shrine were bombed. On August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito made a historic statement to the Japanese people about Japan's surrender. By this time, Tokyo was practically destroyed.

In 1943, the city of Tokyo was abolished as an administrative unit. During World War II, on November 24, 1944, the United States began bombing Tokyo. On February 25 and March 10, 1945, American bombers carried out heavy bombing attacks on the city. Entire areas of the city with traditional wooden architecture were destroyed and burned, killing over 100 thousand people. The historic imperial palace was also destroyed.

From September 1945 to April 1952, the city was occupied by American troops. Opposite the imperial palace was the headquarters of General Douglas MacArthur, who, as commander-in-chief of the Allied forces, led the occupation authorities. Tokyo then entered a period of rapid recovery and economic growth, which became especially intense after the outbreak of the Korean War.

The restoration of the Japanese capital from the ashes of World War II was like a miracle. True, Tokyo residents, again, as after the Great Kanto Earthquake, did not take advantage of the opportunity for a global reconstruction of the city to make the avenues and streets wider and more elegant, as happened, for example, in Nagoya, but built new houses on the site of old buildings.

During the occupation by American troops in the early post-war years, Tokyo resembled a huge cheap night club. Today's respectable areas such as Yurakucho were filled with so-called pan-pan girls (prostitutes), and the areas of Ikebukuro and Ueno became black market areas. A reminder of this can still be found at the Ameyoko Arcade in Ueno, where something like a cheap bazaar is still located.

Tokyo was recovering at an unprecedented pace, especially in the central regions. Tokyo residents were especially proud of hosting the 1964 Summer Olympics. During the preparation period, the city was engulfed in unprecedented construction. Many Japanese view this time as a turning point in the nation's history, with Japan fully recovering from the devastation of World War II to become a full member of the modern world economy.

Construction and modernization continued at a breakneck pace throughout the 70s, peaking towards the end of the 1980s, with rising property prices. The cost of land in Tokyo by that time exceeded the cost of the entire United States, and Japanese companies, enriched by real estate speculation, began to buy up many famous world entertainment brands, including the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course, Rockefeller Center, and the Columbia film studio. Pictures. By the early 1990s, the bubble burst and the Japanese economy experienced a long recession for more than 15 years.

The main problem of Tokyo and all of Japan is the decreasing birth rate and high population concentration. According to a published report in 2011, the birth rate has fallen again, falling to its lowest level since the Second World War, and in the capital it is even lower than the national average. The difference between mortality and birth rates exceeded 200,000 people. , at the same time, the percentage of the population of retirement age is steadily growing, which increases the burden of the social insurance and pension system. According to Japan's Ministry of National Affairs, in 2011, pensioners for the first time made up 23.3% of the country's total population. There are 21 million Japanese people over 70 years of age, and 8.66 million people over 80 years of age.

Despite the existing difficulties, Tokyo continues to develop dynamically. New subway lines and new mega-complexes like Tokyo Midtown are popping up. Modern Tokyo is a huge metropolis made of glass, concrete and steel, like all major cities in the world, looking like a huge anthill. A person who comes here for the first time unwittingly gets lost in this stone labyrinth. And yet, Tokyo can be unusually cozy if you turn away from the avenues crowded with cars and find yourself in one of the many gardens or parks, sandwiched between houses pressed closely together.

They say Tokyo has no face. Or maybe that’s part of its appeal: it can be different, changing at every step. History and modernity, traditions and Western innovations live here side by side, not interfering, but on the contrary, complementing each other and making this city unusually interesting and unique.

WITH modern history Tokyo city One tragic event is connected: on March 20, 1995, members of the Aum Shinrikyo sect committed a terrorist attack using sarin gas in the Tokyo subway. In this case, 13 people were killed and over 6,200 people were injured.

According to the list of the most expensive cities to live as of 2009, which was published by the American financial and economic magazine Forbes, Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world.

Cities are usually measured by two parameters: number of inhabitants and area. The largest number of people live in the capital of Japan, Tokyo - 34 million. In second place is Mexico City (Mexico). And in third place is New York (USA). But this rating was compiled taking into account people who live in the suburbs and satellite cities. If you do not count them, then the picture changes. In this case, the South Korean city of Seoul becomes the largest city (10 million 231 thousand people), followed by Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Bombay (India). As for the territory occupied by the city, London is the leader here. Its area is 1580 square meters. In second place is Mexico City. Its area is 1547 square kilometers. This represents 0.5% of the area of ​​all of Mexico. And in third is Los Angeles (1206 square kilometers). The largest city in Russia is Moscow. Its area is 931 square kilometers and its population is 10 million people.

Tokyo is the largest city in the world, the capital of Japan, the only giant city in the world, containing over 40% of the country's population. The population continues to grow. Average population density is 800-1000 people. per 1 sq. km. According to the World Urbanization Prospects Revision (2007), this largest metropolis, as the most densely populated metropolitan area, will continue to remain Number One.

Tokyo Metropolitan Prefecture, which consists of 23 administrative districts, 26 cities, 7 towns and 8 villages, as well as the islands of Ogasawara and Izu, is located on the Kanto Plain on the Pacific coast of the island of Honshu.

Of course, the title of the largest city is very precarious - it depends on how you count it. There are many different ratings and options on the Internet. But I stopped for example at this

12,043,977 people

The capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, opens the ranking of the largest cities by population. The population density is 14,763 people per square kilometer. The total number reaches more than 12 million people. The area of ​​the city reaches 815.85 km2. It should be noted that this metropolis is one of the oldest on our planet. It was founded in the 7th century. At that time, the city was part of the Buddhist kingdom called Kamarupa. Most likely, the name is due to the emergence of the Dhakeshwari temple.

The capital of the Russian Federation ranks 9th in the ranking of the most densely populated cities in the world. According to preliminary data, there are 12,452,000 people in this city. The first mention of the current capital occurs in 1147. Currently, the area of ​​the metropolis is 2561.5 km 2. The city of federal significance includes many industrial plants, enterprises and vehicles. You might be interested in checking out the dirtiest cities in Russia.

Next in the top 10 largest cities by population is the Indian metropolis of Mumbai. Its area is only 603 square kilometers. At the same time, 12,478,477 Indian citizens live on the territory of the settlement, founded in 1507. Thus, there are 20,694 people per square kilometer. This place is really noisy and a lot of bustle. Not at all, there is something to see due to the developed infrastructure and many attractions.

The capital of Turkey, Istanbul, is one of the most populous cities on Earth. It was founded in 667 BC. The current mayor is Kadir Topbaş. The area of ​​the metropolis reaches 5343 square kilometers. In total, the city includes 13,854,740 people. The density is 2,400 people per square kilometer. It should be noted that Istanbul is a famous and popular tourist center, annually attracting a huge number of tourists and travelers.

14.04 million people

1. Scientific and technical;
2. Economic;
3. Political;
4. Educational and cultural;
5. Transport center of the People's Republic of China.

The area of ​​the settlement is 7,433 square kilometers. In 2016, the population was 13,080,500. In 2017, the figure rose to more than 14 million citizens.

Next in the ranking is the Nigerian city of Lagos with a population of 15,118,780. The port town is located in the southwest of the country. It is the largest in area - 999.6 square kilometers. In total, 13 million people live in it and close to 21 million in the metropolitan area. In Africa, no metropolis can compare with this city. The average cost in a three-star hotel will cost 5,000 rubles. If you are in this place, you should definitely visit Lagos Island.

The largest city in India by population is Delhi - a multinational place in which different cultural movements develop. This is his asset. Being in this place can expand your worldview and learn a lot of new things that are useful for self-knowledge. The area reaches 1,484 square kilometers. In total, 16 million people lived in the city in 2016. Some of the most interesting places include:

1. Lal-Kila;
2. Qutub Minar.

There are many museums!

21.5 million people

Another large city subordinate to the PRC, whose population reaches over 21.5 million citizens. The total area of ​​the territory is 16,411 square kilometers, that is, this settlement is also one of the largest in size in the world. Located in the southern part of the country. Among the most interesting attractions is the Forbidden City. Beijing has a lively, pleasant atmosphere of cheerful people who are hospitable to travelers. In this place you can spend an unforgettable vacation, both with the whole family and on your own.