List of largest cities throughout history
Updated: 5/20/2026, 8:16:01 PM Wikipedia source
This article lists the largest human settlements in the world (by population) over time, as estimated by historians, from 7000 BC when the largest human settlement was a proto-city in the ancient Near East with a population of about 1,000–2,000 people, to the year 2000 when the largest human settlement was Tokyo with 26 million. Rome, Jiankang and Chang'an may have been the first cities to have 1,000,000 people, as early as the 1st century or as late as the 8th century. Later cities that might have reached 1 million include Luoyang, Kaifeng, Hangzhou, Beijing and Edo. There is a wide agreement that London was the first city to reach 2 million and New York was the first to reach 10 million. The Greater Tokyo Area was the most populous metropolitan area in the world from 1955 to 2025, with more than 37 million residents as of 2020. Jakarta overtook Tokyo in 2025, partly due to Tokyo's shrinking population. As disagreements between the sources show, any of the pre-19th century figures are uncertain, especially in ancient times. Estimating population sizes before censuses were conducted is a difficult task.
Tables
· List of the most populous human settlements over time
Population
Population
Year
Population
Morris (2010)
Name
Morris (2010)
Present
location
Morris (2010)
Population
Modelski (2003)
Name
Modelski (2003)
Present
location
Modelski (2003)
Population
Chandler (1987)
Name
Chandler (1987)
Present
location
BC-7000
BC-7000
Year
BC-7000
Morris (2010)
1,000
Morris (2010)
Beidha
Morris (2010)
Jordan
Modelski (2003)
1,000–2,000
Modelski (2003)
Jericho
Modelski (2003)
Palestine
Basta
Basta
Year
Basta
Morris (2010)
Jordan
Çatalhöyük
Çatalhöyük
Year
Çatalhöyük
Morris (2010)
Turkey
BC 6500
BC 6500
Year
BC 6500
Modelski (2003)
5,000–10,000
Modelski (2003)
Çatalhöyük
Modelski (2003)
Turkey
BC 6000
BC 6000
Year
BC 6000
Morris (2010)
3,000
Morris (2010)
Çatalhöyük
Morris (2010)
Turkey
BC 4000
BC 4000
Year
BC 4000
Morris (2010)
5,000
Morris (2010)
Uruk
Morris (2010)
Iraq
Modelski (2003)
4,000
Modelski (2003)
Eridu
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
Tell Brak
Tell Brak
Year
Tell Brak
Morris (2010)
Syria
BC 3800
to 3700
BC 3800
to 3700
Year
BC 3800
to 3700
Modelski (2003)
< 10,000
Modelski (2003)
Dobrovody
Modelski (2003)
Ukraine
BC 3700
BC 3700
Year
BC 3700
Modelski (2003)
6,000–10,000
Modelski (2003)
Eridu
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
BC 3600
to 3500
BC 3600
to 3500
Year
BC 3600
to 3500
Modelski (2003)
< 10,000
Modelski (2003)
Maydanets
Modelski (2003)
Ukraine
< 10,000
< 10,000
Year
< 10,000
Morris (2010)
Talianki
Morris (2010)
Ukraine
BC 3500
BC 3500
Year
BC 3500
Modelski (2003)
14,000
Modelski (2003)
Uruk
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
BC 3300
BC 3300
Year
BC 3300
Modelski (2003)
40,000
Modelski (2003)
Uruk
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
BC 3200
BC 3200
Year
BC 3200
Chandler (1987)
20,000
Chandler (1987)
Abydos
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 3100
BC 3100
Year
BC 3100
Chandler (1987)
20,000
Chandler (1987)
Memphis
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 3000
BC 3000
Year
BC 3000
Morris (2010)
45,000
Morris (2010)
Uruk
Morris (2010)
Iraq
Modelski (2003)
40,000
Modelski (2003)
Uruk
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
Chandler (1987)
30,000
Chandler (1987)
Memphis
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 2800
BC 2800
Year
BC 2800
Modelski (2003)
80,000
Modelski (2003)
Uruk
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
Chandler (1987)
Memphis
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 2500
BC 2500
Year
BC 2500
Modelski (2003)
60,000
Modelski (2003)
Lagash
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
Chandler (1987)
Memphis
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
20,000
20,000
Year
20,000
Morris (2010)
Nippur
Morris (2010)
Iraq
BC 2400
BC 2400
Year
BC 2400
Modelski (2003)
50,000
Modelski (2003)
Mari
Modelski (2003)
Syria
Chandler (1987)
Memphis
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
40,000
40,000
Year
40,000
Morris (2010)
Umma
Morris (2010)
Iraq
Girsu
Girsu
Year
Girsu
Morris (2010)
Iraq
Mohenjo-daro
Mohenjo-daro
Year
Mohenjo-daro
Morris (2010)
Pakistan
BC 2300
BC 2300
Year
BC 2300
Modelski (2003)
80,000
Modelski (2003)
Girsu
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
Chandler (1987)
Memphis
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
50,000
50,000
Year
50,000
Morris (2010)
Mari
Morris (2010)
Syria
BC 2250
BC 2250
Year
BC 2250
Chandler (1987)
> 30,000
Chandler (1987)
Memphis
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 2240
BC 2240
Year
BC 2240
Chandler (1987)
Akkad
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
BC 2200
BC 2200
Year
BC 2200
Modelski (2003)
50,000
Modelski (2003)
Girsu
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
Chandler (1987)
Akkad
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
BC 2100
BC 2100
Year
BC 2100
Modelski (2003)
100,000
Modelski (2003)
Ur
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
Chandler (1987)
Akkad
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
BC 2075
BC 2075
Year
BC 2075
Chandler (1987)
50,000
Chandler (1987)
Girsu
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
BC 2059
BC 2059
Year
BC 2059
Chandler (1987)
Girsu
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
BC 2030
BC 2030
Year
BC 2030
Chandler (1987)
Ur
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
BC 2000
BC 2000
Year
BC 2000
Morris (2010)
60,000
Morris (2010)
Memphis
Morris (2010)
Egypt
Modelski (2003)
40,000
Modelski (2003)
Isin
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
Chandler (1987)
65,000
Chandler (1987)
Ur
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
Larsa
Larsa
Year
Larsa
Morris (2010)
Iraq
Girsu
Girsu
Year
Girsu
Morris (2010)
Iraq
BC 1991
BC 1991
Year
BC 1991
Chandler (1987)
Ur
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
BC 1980
BC 1980
Year
BC 1980
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1900
BC 1900
Year
BC 1900
Modelski (2003)
40,000
Modelski (2003)
Isin
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
Larsa
Larsa
Year
Larsa
Morris (2010)
Iraq
BC 1800
BC 1800
Year
BC 1800
Modelski (2003)
60,000
Modelski (2003)
Mari
Modelski (2003)
Syria
Chandler (1987)
> 25,000
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1770
BC 1770
Year
BC 1770
Chandler (1987)
60,000
Chandler (1987)
Babylon
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
BC 1700
BC 1700
Year
BC 1700
Modelski (2003)
60,000
Modelski (2003)
Babylon
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
Chandler (1987)
Babylon
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
BC 1670
BC 1670
Year
BC 1670
Chandler (1987)
Avaris
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1650
BC 1650
Year
BC 1650
Chandler (1987)
100,000
Chandler (1987)
Avaris
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1600
BC 1600
Year
BC 1600
Modelski (2003)
50,000–100,000
Modelski (2003)
Avaris
Modelski (2003)
Egypt
Chandler (1987)
100,000
Chandler (1987)
Avaris
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1595
BC 1595
Year
BC 1595
Chandler (1987)
Avaris
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1580
BC 1580
Year
BC 1580
Chandler (1987)
Avaris
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1557
BC 1557
Year
BC 1557
Chandler (1987)
Memphis
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1500
BC 1500
Year
BC 1500
Morris (2010)
75,000
Morris (2010)
Uruk
Morris (2010)
Iraq
Modelski (2003)
60,000
Modelski (2003)
Thebes
Modelski (2003)
Egypt
Chandler (1987)
Memphis
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
Thebes
Thebes
Year
Thebes
Morris (2010)
Egypt
BC 1400
BC 1400
Year
BC 1400
Modelski (2003)
80,000
Modelski (2003)
Thebes
Modelski (2003)
Egypt
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1375
BC 1375
Year
BC 1375
Chandler (1987)
100,000
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1360
BC 1360
Year
BC 1360
Chandler (1987)
80,000
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1350
BC 1350
Year
BC 1350
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1300
BC 1300
Year
BC 1300
Modelski (2003)
-
Modelski (2003)
Yinxu
(Anyang)
Modelski (2003)
China
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1205
BC 1205
Year
BC 1205
Chandler (1987)
Memphis
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1200
BC 1200
Year
BC 1200
Morris (2010)
80,000
Morris (2010)
Babylon
Morris (2010)
Iraq
Modelski (2003)
160,000
Modelski (2003)
Pi-Ramses
Modelski (2003)
Egypt
Chandler (1987)
50,000
Chandler (1987)
Memphis
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
Thebes
Thebes
Year
Thebes
Morris (2010)
Egypt
BC 1188
BC 1188
Year
BC 1188
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1184
BC 1184
Year
BC 1184
Chandler (1987)
120,000
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1100
BC 1100
Year
BC 1100
Modelski (2003)
120,000
Modelski (2003)
Pi-Ramses
Modelski (2003)
Egypt
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 1000
BC 1000
Year
BC 1000
Morris (2010)
35,000
Morris (2010)
Qiyi (Qi)
Morris (2010)
China
Modelski (2003)
120,000
Modelski (2003)
Thebes
Modelski (2003)
Egypt
Chandler (1987)
> 50,000
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
100,000
100,000
Year
100,000
Morris (2010)
Haojing
(Xi'an)
Morris (2010)
China
Morris (2010)
> 50,000
Modelski (2003)
Haojing
(Xi'an)
Modelski (2003)
China
Memphis
Memphis
Year
Memphis
Morris (2010)
Egypt
Morris (2010)
50,000
Morris (2010)
Chengzhou
(Luoyang)
Modelski (2003)
China
Babylon
Babylon
Year
Babylon
Morris (2010)
Iraq
Morris (2010)
100,000
BC 900
BC 900
Year
BC 900
Modelski (2003)
120,000
Modelski (2003)
Haojing
Modelski (2003)
China
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 800
BC 800
Year
BC 800
Morris (2010)
75,000
Morris (2010)
Nimrud/Kalhu
Morris (2010)
Iraq
Modelski (2003)
125,000
Modelski (2003)
Haojing
Modelski (2003)
China
Chandler (1987)
> 50,000
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
BC 700
BC 700
Year
BC 700
Modelski (2003)
100,000
Modelski (2003)
Thebes
Modelski (2003)
Egypt
Chandler (1987)
Thebes
Chandler (1987)
Egypt
Memphis
Memphis
Year
Memphis
Morris (2010)
Egypt
Nineveh
Nineveh
Year
Nineveh
Morris (2010)
Iraq
Babylon
Babylon
Year
Babylon
Morris (2010)
Iraq
Luoyi
(Luoyang)
Luoyi
(Luoyang)
Year
Luoyi
(Luoyang)
Morris (2010)
China
Linzi
Linzi
Year
Linzi
Morris (2010)
China
BC 668
BC 668
Year
BC 668
Chandler (1987)
100,000
Chandler (1987)
Nineveh
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
BC 650
BC 650
Year
BC 650
Chandler (1987)
120,000
Chandler (1987)
Nineveh
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
BC 612
BC 612
Year
BC 612
Chandler (1987)
Babylon
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
BC 600
BC 600
Year
BC 600
Modelski (2003)
200,000
Modelski (2003)
Babylon
Modelski (2003)
Iraq
Chandler (1987)
100,000
Chandler (1987)
Babylon
Chandler (1987)
Iraq
Luoyi
Luoyi
Year
Luoyi
Morris (2010)
China
| Year | Morris (2010) | Modelski (2003) | Chandler (1987) | ||||||
| Population | Name | Present location | Population | Name | Present location | Population | Name | Present location | |
| BC-7000 | 1,000 | Beidha | Jordan | 1,000–2,000 | Jericho | Palestine | |||
| Basta | Jordan | ||||||||
| Çatalhöyük | Turkey | ||||||||
| BC 6500 | 5,000–10,000 | Çatalhöyük | Turkey | ||||||
| BC 6000 | 3,000 | Çatalhöyük | Turkey | ||||||
| BC 4000 | 5,000 | Uruk | Iraq | 4,000 | Eridu | Iraq | |||
| Tell Brak | Syria | ||||||||
| BC 3800 to 3700 | < 10,000 | Dobrovody | Ukraine | ||||||
| BC 3700 | 6,000–10,000 | Eridu | Iraq | ||||||
| BC 3600 to 3500 | < 10,000 | Maydanets | Ukraine | ||||||
| < 10,000 | Talianki | Ukraine | |||||||
| BC 3500 | 14,000 | Uruk | Iraq | ||||||
| BC 3300 | 40,000 | Uruk | Iraq | ||||||
| BC 3200 | 20,000 | Abydos | Egypt | ||||||
| BC 3100 | 20,000 | Memphis | Egypt | ||||||
| BC 3000 | 45,000 | Uruk | Iraq | 40,000 | Uruk | Iraq | 30,000 | Memphis | Egypt |
| BC 2800 | 80,000 | Uruk | Iraq | Memphis | Egypt | ||||
| BC 2500 | 60,000 | Lagash | Iraq | Memphis | Egypt | ||||
| 20,000 | Nippur | Iraq | |||||||
| BC 2400 | 50,000 | Mari | Syria | Memphis | Egypt | ||||
| 40,000 | Umma | Iraq | |||||||
| Girsu | Iraq | ||||||||
| Mohenjo-daro | Pakistan | ||||||||
| BC 2300 | 80,000 | Girsu | Iraq | Memphis | Egypt | ||||
| 50,000 | Mari | Syria | |||||||
| BC 2250 | > 30,000 | Memphis | Egypt | ||||||
| BC 2240 | Akkad | Iraq | |||||||
| BC 2200 | 50,000 | Girsu | Iraq | Akkad | Iraq | ||||
| BC 2100 | 100,000 | Ur | Iraq | Akkad | Iraq | ||||
| BC 2075 | 50,000 | Girsu | Iraq | ||||||
| BC 2059 | Girsu | Iraq | |||||||
| BC 2030 | Ur | Iraq | |||||||
| BC 2000 | 60,000 | Memphis | Egypt | 40,000 | Isin | Iraq | 65,000 | Ur | Iraq |
| Larsa | Iraq | ||||||||
| Girsu | Iraq | ||||||||
| BC 1991 | Ur | Iraq | |||||||
| BC 1980 | Thebes | Egypt | |||||||
| BC 1900 | 40,000 | Isin | Iraq | Thebes | Egypt | ||||
| Larsa | Iraq | ||||||||
| BC 1800 | 60,000 | Mari | Syria | > 25,000 | Thebes | Egypt | |||
| BC 1770 | 60,000 | Babylon | Iraq | ||||||
| BC 1700 | 60,000 | Babylon | Iraq | Babylon | Iraq | ||||
| BC 1670 | Avaris | Egypt | |||||||
| BC 1650 | 100,000 | Avaris | Egypt | ||||||
| BC 1600 | 50,000–100,000 | Avaris | Egypt | 100,000 | Avaris | Egypt | |||
| BC 1595 | Avaris | Egypt | |||||||
| BC 1580 | Avaris | Egypt | |||||||
| BC 1557 | Memphis | Egypt | |||||||
References
- Shufen Liu, "Jiankang and the Commercial Empire of the Southern Dynasties", in Pearce, Spiro, Ebrey eds. Culture and Pow
- United Nationshttps://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/urbanization/the_worlds_cities_in_2018_data_booklet.pdf
- United Nationshttps://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/sites/www.un.org.development.desa.pd/files/undesa_pd_2025_wup2025_summary_of_results.pdf
- ThoughtCohttps://www.thoughtco.com/largest-cities-throughout-history-4068071
- Ian Morrishttps://web.archive.org/web/20110726164950/http://www.ianmorris.org/docs/social-development.pdf
- World Cities: -3000 to 2000https://web.archive.org/web/20081228052839/http://faculty.washington.edu/modelski/
- Four Thousand Years of Urban Growth: An Historical Censushttps://irows.ucr.edu/research/citemp/citemtoc.htm
- The date that the population of Beidha, Basta and Çatalhöyük is estimated to be 1,000 is given as 7500 BCE in Morris's p
- Suggested to be the largest cities in Modelski's text, but not given constantly prior to 3700 BCE (p. 3, p. 17, and p. 2
- A Pre-Pottery Neolithic B settlement located ca. 25 km north of Petra.
- The rough year that Çatalhöyük was supposed to be the largest is not given in Modelski's text which cites Ian Hodder's r
- The date that the population of Çatalhöyük is estimated to be 3,000 is given as 6500 BCE in Morris's published text (p.
- Suggested to be housing up to 10,000 people in Modelski's text (pp. 24–25), but only Eridu is listed as the largest city
- Suggested to be more than 45,000 in Morris's published text (p. 632).
- According to Modelski's list of world's largest cities (p. 218), Nippur shares the top with Lagash with 60,000 inhabitan
- Girsu (Telloh), the later capital of the state of Lagash, was situated 25 km NW of Lagash (Tell al Hiba), though both si
- According to Modelski's list of world's largest cities (p. 218), Girsu shares the top with Mari with 50,000 inhabitants,
- According to Modelski's list of world's largest cities (p. 218), the population of Girsu for 2300 BCE is estimated as 50
- Location uncertain. Maybe west of Sippar.
- Modelski's list of world's largest cities (p. 218) excludes Girsu for 2000 BCE, though Table 2 (b) lists Girsu with 40,0