List of oldest continuously inhabited cities

Updated: 5/20/2026, 8:15:42 PM Wikipedia source

This is a list of present-day cities by the time period over which they have been continuously inhabited as a city. The age claims listed are generally disputed. Differences in opinion can result from different definitions of "city" as well as "continuous habitation", and historical evidence is often disputed. Caveats (and sources) to the validity of each claim are discussed in the "Notes" column.

Tables

· Africa › North and Northeast Africa

Girga (as Thinis)

Name

Girga (as Thinis)

Historical region

Ancient Egypt

Present location

Egypt

Continuously inhabited since

c. 3273 BC

Notes

Settlement served as the capital of the first Pharaoh of Egypt, Narmer (c. 3273–2987 BC)

Faiyum (as Shedet)

Name

Faiyum (as Shedet)

Historical region

Ancient Egypt

Present location

Egypt

Continuously inhabited since

c. 2181 BC

Notes

Settlement established by the Old Kingdom (c. 2686–2181 BC)

Luxor (as Waset, better known by its Greek name Thebes)

Name

Luxor (as Waset, better known by its Greek name Thebes)

Historical region

Ancient Egypt

Present location

Egypt

Continuously inhabited since

c. 2150 BC

Notes

First established as capital of Upper Egypt, Thebes later became the religious capital of the nation until its decline in the Roman period.

Aswan (as Swenett)

Name

Aswan (as Swenett)

Historical region

Ancient Egypt

Present location

Egypt

Continuously inhabited since

c. 650 BC

Notes

Gained prominence in the Late Period (664–332 BC).

Benghazi (as Euesperides)

Name

Benghazi (as Euesperides)

Historical region

Cyrenaica

Present location

Libya

Continuously inhabited since

c. 525 BC

Notes

Founded in the 5th century BC, by the Greeks.

Alexandria

Name

Alexandria

Historical region

Ancient Egypt

Present location

Egypt

Continuously inhabited since

c. 332 BC

Notes

Founded by Alexander the Great on the town of Rhacotis, which dates back to the Old Kingdom

Suakin

Name

Suakin

Historical region

Ancient Sudan

Present location

Sudan

Continuously inhabited since

c. 11th century

Notes

First occupied in the 11th century, Suakin developed into a major Islamic port city, remaining inhabited through Ottoman, Funj, Mahdist, and colonial periods. Excavations confirm architectural and trade activity from the medieval period onward.

Name	Historical region	Present location	Continuously inhabited since	Notes
Girga (as Thinis)	Ancient Egypt	Egypt	c. 3273 BC	Settlement served as the capital of the first Pharaoh of Egypt, Narmer (c. 3273–2987 BC)
Faiyum (as Shedet)	Ancient Egypt	Egypt	c. 2181 BC	Settlement established by the Old Kingdom (c. 2686–2181 BC)
Luxor (as Waset, better known by its Greek name Thebes)	Ancient Egypt	Egypt	c. 2150 BC	First established as capital of Upper Egypt, Thebes later became the religious capital of the nation until its decline in the Roman period.
Aswan (as Swenett)	Ancient Egypt	Egypt	c. 650 BC	Gained prominence in the Late Period (664–332 BC).
Benghazi (as Euesperides)	Cyrenaica	Libya	c. 525 BC	Founded in the 5th century BC, by the Greeks.
Alexandria	Ancient Egypt	Egypt	c. 332 BC	Founded by Alexander the Great on the town of Rhacotis, which dates back to the Old Kingdom
Suakin	Ancient Sudan	Sudan	c. 11th century	First occupied in the 11th century, Suakin developed into a major Islamic port city, remaining inhabited through Ottoman, Funj, Mahdist, and colonial periods. Excavations confirm architectural and trade activity from the medieval period onward.

· Africa › East Africa

Aksum

Name

Aksum

Historical region

Kingdom of Axum

Present location

Ethiopia

Continuously inhabited since

c. 400 BC

Notes

Ancient capital of the Kingdom of Axum.

Zeila (as Avalites)

Name

Zeila (as Avalites)

Historical region

Bilad al-Barbar

Present location

Somalia

Continuously inhabited since

c. 100 AD

Notes

Major trading city in the Horn of Africa.

Antananarivo

Name

Antananarivo

Historical region

Merina Kingdom

Present location

Madagascar

Continuously inhabited since

1610 AD or 1625 AD

Notes

Founded by the Merina King Andrianjaka, it is the oldest city in Madagascar.

Name	Historical region	Present location	Continuously inhabited since	Notes
Aksum	Kingdom of Axum	Ethiopia	c. 400 BC	Ancient capital of the Kingdom of Axum.
Zeila (as Avalites)	Bilad al-Barbar	Somalia	c. 100 AD	Major trading city in the Horn of Africa.
Antananarivo	Merina Kingdom	Madagascar	1610 AD or 1625 AD	Founded by the Merina King Andrianjaka, it is the oldest city in Madagascar.

· Africa › West Africa

Agadez

Name

Agadez

Historical region

Songhai Empire

Present location

Niger

Continuously inhabited since

11th century AD

Notes

Founded in the 11th century, Agadez was an important stop for caravans crossing the Saharan Desert for centuries. Agadez was captured by the Songhai empire in 1515, and controlled by Bornu in the 17th century.

Kano

Name

Kano

Historical region

Kingdom of Kano

Present location

Nigeria

Continuously inhabited since

11th century AD

Notes

The foundation for the construction of Kano City Walls was laid by Sakri Gijimasu at some point between 1095 and 1134, and was completed in the middle of the 14th century during the reign of Usman Zamnagawa.

Timbuktu

Name

Timbuktu

Historical region

Mali Empire, Songhai Empire

Present location

Mali

Continuously inhabited since

11th century AD

Notes

Settled by Tuareg traders as an outpost, its incorporation into the Mali Empire and Songhai, Mande, and Soninke settlement from the 13th century rapidly developed the town.

Cidade Velha (as Ribeira Grande)

Name

Cidade Velha (as Ribeira Grande)

Historical region

Santiago Island

Present location

Cape Verde

Continuously inhabited since

1462 AD

Notes

The first European settlement in West Africa.

Lagos

Name

Lagos

Historical region

Kingdom of Benin

Present location

Nigeria

Continuously inhabited since

16th century AD

Notes

Initially established as a war camp for soldiers from the Kingdom of Benin.

Ouidah

Name

Ouidah

Historical region

Kingdom of Whydah

Present location

Benin

Continuously inhabited since

16th century AD

Notes

The primary port of the Kingdom of Whydah, originally called Glehue by the Fon inhabitants. The town was conquered by the Kingdom of Dahomey in the 18th century.

Name	Historical region	Present location	Continuously inhabited since	Notes
Gao	Gao Empire, Songhai Empire	Mali	c. 600 AD	Gao-Saney called al-kawkaw, Gaw-Gaw by ancient Arab chroniclers is the first site of Gao, founded in the 7th century, it was the capital of the Gao Empire of Za Dynasty. A marble palace, stelae, houses and cemeteries dating from this period were discovered by archaeologists. The current Gao built on a site near Gao-Saney, was the capital of the Son
Benin City	Kingdom of Benin	Nigeria	c. 1000 AD	According to tradition, the original inhabitants and founders of the Edo Empire and the Edo people were ruled by the line of kings known as the Ogiso dynasty, who referred to the land as Igodomigodo. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Benin flourished economically due to its strategic position in the transatlantic trade network, exchanging goods s
Agadez	Songhai Empire	Niger	11th century AD	Founded in the 11th century, Agadez was an important stop for caravans crossing the Saharan Desert for centuries. Agadez was captured by the Songhai empire in 1515, and controlled by Bornu in the 17th century.
Kano	Kingdom of Kano	Nigeria	11th century AD	The foundation for the construction of Kano City Walls was laid by Sakri Gijimasu at some point between 1095 and 1134, and was completed in the middle of the 14th century during the reign of Usman Zamnagawa.
Timbuktu	Mali Empire, Songhai Empire	Mali	11th century AD	Settled by Tuareg traders as an outpost, its incorporation into the Mali Empire and Songhai, Mande, and Soninke settlement from the 13th century rapidly developed the town.
Cidade Velha (as Ribeira Grande)	Santiago Island	Cape Verde	1462 AD	The first European settlement in West Africa.
Lagos	Kingdom of Benin	Nigeria	16th century AD	Initially established as a war camp for soldiers from the Kingdom of Benin.
Ouidah	Kingdom of Whydah	Benin	16th century AD	The primary port of the Kingdom of Whydah, originally called Glehue by the Fon inhabitants. The town was conquered by the Kingdom of Dahomey in the 18th century.

· Africa › Central Africa

M'banza-Kongo

Name

M'banza-Kongo

Historical region

Kongo Empire

Present location

Angola

Continuously inhabited since

c. 1390 AD

Notes

Capital of the Kongo Empire, founded by the Kongo people in present-day Angola.

Luanda (as São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda)

Name

Luanda (as São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda)

Historical region

Portuguese Empire

Present location

Angola

Continuously inhabited since

1576 AD

Notes

Founded by Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais on 25 January 1576 as "São Paulo da Assumpção de Loanda".

Name	Historical region	Present location	Continuously inhabited since	Notes
M'banza-Kongo	Kongo Empire	Angola	c. 1390 AD	Capital of the Kongo Empire, founded by the Kongo people in present-day Angola.
Luanda (as São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda)	Portuguese Empire	Angola	1576 AD	Founded by Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais on 25 January 1576 as "São Paulo da Assumpção de Loanda".

· Africa › Southern Africa

Cape Town

Name

Cape Town

Historical region

Dutch East India Company

Present location

South Africa

Continuously inhabited since

1652 AD

Notes

Founded by Dutch colonists from Dutch East India Company and is the oldest recorded city in South Africa.

Name	Historical region	Present location	Continuously inhabited since	Notes
Cape Town	Dutch East India Company	South Africa	1652 AD	Founded by Dutch colonists from Dutch East India Company and is the oldest recorded city in South Africa.

References

It is salient to the discussion of continuous habitation that Cortés's initial founding of Veracruz was symbolic, rather
lit. Rich Town of the True Cross.
Earliest possible dates
Erlitou Site
de jure. Russia de facto
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