World Population Review 2024: The global population has reached an unprecedented level, surpassing 8 billion people. According to projections by the United Nations, the world population is expected to grow by nearly 2 billion by 2050 and could reach as high as 10.4 billion by the mid-2080s. This tremendous population growth can be attributed to various factors, including advancements in healthcare, sanitation, and living conditions. Mortality rates, particularly among infants and children, have decreased globally, and the median age of the world population has steadily increased over the past decades. The World Population Review recently released a list of the top 10 largest countries and cities by population as of 2024, further highlighting this trend. It is no surprise that most of the world's most populous cities are located in China and India, the two most densely populated countries globally. However, notably, Tokyo tops the list as the most populous city in 2024, according to the World Population Review. With the rise of megacities, globalisation, and urbanisation, many cities worldwide are experiencing significant population growth. So, as we celebrate World Population Day today, annually on July 11, under the theme of 2024: investing in data collection, it is important to understand problems, tailor solutions, and drive progress; discover the top 10 most populous cities in the world in 2024. Here are the top 10 largest cities by population in the world in 2024: Rank City Country Population in 2024 Population in 2023 Growth Rate 1 Tokyo Japan 37,115,035 37,194,105 -0.21% 2 Delhi India 33,807,403 32,941,309 2.63% 3 Shanghai China 29,867,918 29,210,808 2.25% 4 Dhaka Bangladesh 23,935,652 23,209,616 3.13% 5 Sao Paulo Brazil 22,806,704 22,619,736 0.83% 6 Cairo Egypt 22,623,874 22,183,201 1.99% 7 Mexico City Mexico 22,505,315 22,281,442 1% 8 Beijing China 22,189,082 21,766,214 1.94% 9 Mumbai India 21,673,149 21,296,517 1.77% 10 Osaka Japan 18,967,459 19,013,434 -0.24% Source: World Population Review It's no surprise that the world's most populous cities are mainly located in China and India, the two most populous countries globally. India is projected to overtake China as the country with the most significant population in 2022, with over 1.43 billion people. China still has the second-largest population globally, with just above 1.4 billion inhabitants, but its population began to decline in 2023. Shanghai and Beijing, two significant Chinese cities, have staggering populations of 29.9 million and 22.2 million, respectively. Similarly, India's capital, Delhi, and financial hub Mumbai are home to 33.8 million and 21.7 million people, respectively. However, Tokyo, Japan, has the most extensive population, with a total of 37.1 million residents when considering the entire Tokyo metropolitan area. Another Japanese city, Osaka, also has an exceptionally large population of 19 million.
