List of oldest continuously inhabited cities

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[citation needed]

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.

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.

Benin City

Kingdom of Benin

Nigeria

c. 1000 AD

City of Benin, the oldest city in Nigeria.

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.

M'banza-Kongo

Kongo Empire

Angola

c. 1390 AD

Capital of the Kongo Empire, founded by the Kongo people in current 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".

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.

Cholula

Old Cholula

Mexico

c. 1000 – c. 500 BC[need quotation to verify]

Pre-Columbian Cholula grew from a small village to a regional center during the 7th century. The city was the site of the Massacre of Cholula during the military campaign of Hernán Cortés.

Flores

Maya civilization, then New Spain

Guatemala

900–600 BC

Formerly Nojpetén, the capital of the Itza kingdom, it has been occupied continuously since prehispanic times. Earliest archaeological traces date back to 900–600 BC, with major expansion of the settlement occurring around 250–400 AD. Ethnohistoric documents claim the founding of Nojpetén in the mid-15th century AD.

Izamal

Maya civilization, then New Spain

Mexico

700–450 BC

Also known as the Yellow City. Small city in the Mexican state of Yucatán, 72 kilometres east of state capital Mérida. Izamal is an important archaeological site of the Pre-Columbian Maya civilization. Continuously occupied until the Spanish Conquest. The most important pre-Hispanic constructive activity occurred during the early and late classical periods. It was partially abandoned with the rise of a group that hailed from Chichen Itza, probably around the final classical period (800–1000 AD).

Monte Albán-Zaachila-Oaxaca City

Zapotec civilisation (Otomí people), Mixtec civilisation (Otomí people)

Mexico

500 BC c. 500 BC[better source needed][failed verification]

The valley of modern Oaxaca City, founded by the Spanish in 1532, has been continuously inhabited by the Oto-Manguean peoples of Mesoamerica since ancient times. The outskirts of Oaxaca City host the ruins of Monte Albán, once the capital of the Zapotecs for around 1000 years. Although Monte Albán proper was abandoned around 1000 AD, the city of Zaachila next to it rose in its place and was continuously inhabited until the arrival of Europeans.

Tututepec

Mixtec civilization

Mexico

c. 400 BCE[page range too broad]

First Tututepec settlements date to 400 BCE, the site was nearly abandoned by 800 CE until Eight Deer brought a migration of Mixtecs to the site and made the location the capital of a new empire in 1083 CE, the city persists beyond Spanish conquest in 1522 into present day.

Toluca-Calixtlahuaca

Otomí peoples

Mexico

0400 c. 400 – c. 200 BC

Toluca, in the State of Mexico, has been continuously inhabited at least since the 8th century BC.[dubious – discuss] The oldest sedentary remains (Calixtlahuaca) date from around the 600 BC to 400 BC.[citation needed]

Papantla / El Tajín

Totonac people

Mexico

c. 1st century AD[need quotation to verify]

The town of Papantla in the state of Veracruz was founded by the Totonac people around the 13th century AD. The neighboring monumental city of El Tajín was settled around the 1st century AD until it was destroyed around the same time Papantla was founded.

Oraibi

Puebloan peoples

United States

c. 1100 AD

Cuernavaca (Cuauhnahuac)-Teopanzolco

Nahuan peoples

Mexico

1200 AD c. 1200 AD

Founded by the Nahuatl-speaking people of the Valley of Mexico with the name Cuauhnahuac. The ruins of Teopanzolco, now in downtown Cuernavaca, are thought to be the downtown of Cuauhnahuac, which was sieged and occupied by the Spanish in 1521, who renamed it to Cuernavaca.

Tucson

Hohokam

United States

c. 1300 AD

Hohokam village founded at the base of Sentinel Peak, later Tohono O'odam. Afterwards, became a Spanish presidio.

Mexico City

Mexica culture (Nahuan peoples)

Mexico

1325 AD

Founded as twin cities Tenōchtitlān (1325) and Tlāltelōlco (1337) by the Mexica. Name changed to Ciudad de México (Mexico City) after the Spanish conquest of the city in 1521. Several other pre-Columbian towns such as Azcapotzalco, Tlatelolco, Xochimilco and Coyoacán have been engulfed by the still growing metropolis and are now part of modern Mexico City. Oldest capital city in the Americas.

Santo Domingo

New Spain

Dominican Republic

1496 AD

Oldest European settlement in the New World.

San Juan

New Spain

Puerto Rico

1508 AD

Oldest continuously inhabited city in a U.S. territory.

Nombre de Dios, Colón

New Spain

Panama

1510 AD

Oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in continental America.

Baracoa

New Spain

Cuba

1511 AD

Oldest European settlement in Cuba.

Havana

New Spain

Cuba

1519 AD

Oldest major city in Cuba, established 1515, granted city status in 1592 by Philip II of Spain as "Key to the New World and Rampart of the West Indies".

Veracruz

New Spain

Mexico

1519 AD

The actual location of the settlement known as Veracruz changed multiple times. Originally established by Hernán Cortés in April 1519 – near where he made landfall – as the Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, it was moved within a month to Totonac Quiahuiztlan. This location lay further inland and required a long overland trek from the port at San Juan de Ulúa to unload cargo, due to which the settlement was again moved in 1525, this time to the present-day location of La Antigua. Veracruz remained there until 1599, when pressure from mercantile elites in Seville, Mexico City, and Puebla de los Ángeles to relocate the settlement closer to the port to speed and secure trade caused it to be refounded at its present location as Nuevo Veracruz.

Panama City

Cueva Civilisation. After European colonisation: New Spain

Panama

1519 AD

Oldest European settlement on the Pacific.

Taxco

New Spain

Mexico

1529 AD[better source needed]

Compostela

New Spain

Mexico

1530 AD[better source needed]

Querétaro

New Spain, Otomi people, Purépecha people

Mexico

1531 AD

Puebla

New Spain

Mexico

1531 AD

Tepic

New Spain

Mexico

1531 AD[better source needed]

Culiacán

New Spain

Mexico

1531 AD[better source needed]

Campeche

New Spain

Mexico

1540 AD

Morelia

New Spain

Mexico

1541 AD

Guadalajara

New Spain

Mexico

1542 AD[better source needed]

Mérida

Maya civilization, New Spain

Mexico

1542 AD (as the Spanish city)

It was previously known as T'ho by the Maya.

Zacatecas

New Spain

Mexico

1548 AD[better source needed]

Guanajuato

New Spain

Mexico

1548 AD[better source needed]

Acapulco

New Spain

Mexico

1550 AD

Cartago

New Spain

Costa Rica

1563 AD

Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in Costa Rica.

St. Augustine

New Spain

United States

1565 AD

Oldest continuously inhabited European-founded city of the current 50 U.S. states.

Santa Fe

New Spain

United States

1607 AD

Oldest continuously inhabited state or territorial capital in the continental United States.

Quebec City

New France

Canada

1608 AD

Oldest city in Canada and oldest French-speaking city in the Americas.

St. John's

Newfoundland

Canada

c. 1610 AD

On 5 August 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed the area as England's first overseas colony under a royal charter by Queen Elizabeth I. Some claim[citation needed] to being the oldest city in Canada. Incorporated in 1883; inhabited continuously since sometime after 1610.[citation needed]

Hopewell

Virginia Company

United States

1613 AD

Founded as Bermuda City in 1613 and later known as City Point, Virginia, this location has undergone several name changes but has remained continuously inhabited.

Albany

New Netherlands

United States

1614 AD

Followed by Jersey City, New Jersey (Communipaw) in 1617 and New York City (as New Amsterdam) in 1624. (Note: While there was an abandonment in 1617 or 1618 of the Albany settlement, it was re-established within a few years; also, the Jersey City settlement was a factorij or trading post in the 1610s and did not become a "homestead" (bouwerij) until the 1630s. Settlements in New Netherlands sometimes moved around in the early years.)

Plymouth

Plymouth Colony

United States

1620 AD

Fourth-oldest continuously inhabited European-founded city in the United States

New York City

New Amsterdam

United States

1624 AD

Founded in 1624 as New Amsterdam. Was renamed New York City in 1667. Is the 12th oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement in the continental United States

Boston

Massachusetts Bay Colony

United States

1625 AD

Settled in 1625 and established in 1630, the city of Boston, Massachusetts, was established as the capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony on the Shawmut Peninsula. It is one of the oldest major cities of the United States. Boston was a key city in the early American Revolution against the British Empire, eventually becoming the first city free of British rule in the United States. Boston is still one of the wealthiest and most important cities in the United States.

Port Royal-Annapolis Royal

New France

Canada

1629 AD

Oldest continuously inhabited settlement incorporated as a Town in North America. Initial settlement was 1605, with confirmed continuous settlement since at least 1629.

Saint John

New France

Canada

1631 AD

Oldest incorporated city in Canada.

Trois-Rivières

New France

Canada

1634 AD

Fourth-oldest city in Canada.

Montreal

New France

Canada

1642 AD

Fifth-oldest city in Canada.

Sault Ste. Marie

New France

Canada and  United States

1668 AD

A single settlement until 1817, when it was divided into Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States. The latter is the oldest European-founded city in the Midwestern United States and third-oldest US city west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Philadelphia

Province of Pennsylvania

United States

1681 AD

In 1681, King Charles II gave William Penn a large piece of his newly acquired American land holdings to repay a debt the king owed to Admiral Sir William Penn, Penn's father. Afterwards, Penn founded Philadelphia with a core group of accompanying Quakers and others seeking religious freedom on lands he purchased from the local chieftains of the Lenape or Delaware nation.

Natchitoches

New France

United States

1699 AD

Natchitoches was established in 1714 by French explorer Louis Juchereau de St. Denis. It is the oldest permanent European settlement within the borders of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. Natchitoches was founded as a French outpost on the Red River for trade with Spanish-controlled Mexico; French traders settled there as early as 1699.

Detroit

New France

United States

1701 AD

First European settlement above tidewater in North America.

San Antonio

New Spain

United States

1718 AD

Founded as a Spanish mission and colonial outpost in 1718, the city in 1731 became the first chartered civil settlement in what is now present-day Texas.

New Orleans

New France

United States

1718 AD

Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville in 1718 upon the slightly elevated banks of the Mississippi River approximately 95 miles (153 km) above its mouth.[citation needed]

Winnipeg

British America

Canada

1738 AD

Founded as Fort Rouge. Oldest city in the Canadian Prairies.

Charlotte

Province of North Carolina

United States

1768 AD

Area said to have been pre-colonially settled by the Catawba tribe with records dating back to 1567.

San Diego

New Spain

United States

1769 AD

Birthplace of California and oldest city on the West Coast of the United States.

Toronto

Upper Canada

Canada

1793 AD

Founded as York, Upper Canada.

Victoria

Colony of Vancouver Island

Canada

1843 AD

Oldest city on the West Coast of Canada.

Cusco

Inca Empire

Peru

c. 1100 AD [dubious – discuss]

The Killke occupied the region from 900 to 1200, prior to the arrival of the Incas in the 13th century. Carbon-14 dating of Sacsayhuamán, the walled complex outside Cusco, has demonstrated that the Killke culture constructed the fortress about 1100.

Cumaná

New Granada

Venezuela

1515 AD

Oldest continuously inhabited, European-established settlement in the continent.

Santa Marta

New Granada

Colombia

1525 AD

Oldest still-inhabited city founded by Spaniards in Colombia.

São Vicente, São Paulo

Governorate General of Brazil

Brazil

1532 AD

First Portuguese city in the Americas.

Piura

Peru

Peru

1532 AD

Oldest European-founded city in Peru.

Lima

Peru

Peru

1535 AD

Second-oldest continuously inhabited European-settled capital city in South America. The oldest being Quito.

Vila Velha, Espírito Santo

Governorate General of Brazil

Brazil

1535 AD

Second-oldest continuously inhabited Portuguese-settled village in South America. The oldest being São Vicente.

Cali

New Granada

Colombia

1536 AD

On 25 July 1536 Belalcázar founded Santiago de Cali, first established a few kilometres north of the present location, near what are now the towns of Vijes and Riofrío.

Asunción

Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata

Paraguay

1537 AD

Juan de Salazar y Espinoza, traversing the Paraguay River on his way from Buenos Aires, stopped briefly at a bay in the left bank to resupply his ships. He found the natives friendly, and decided to found a fort there in August 1537. He named it Nuestra Señora Santa María de la Asunción (Our Lady Saint Mary of the Assumption – the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption on August 15).

Bogotá

New Granada

Colombia

1540 AD

The name of Bogotá, is derived from Bacatá, an indigenous area inhabitanted by the native Muisca encompassing what is presently the Colombian capital.

Santiago

Captaincy General of Chile

Chile

1541 AD

Oldest continuously inhabited European established settlement in Chile.

Salvador

Governorate General of Brazil

Brazil

1549 AD

First planned city founded by Portuguese, and first capital of Brazil.

Santiago del Estero

Río de la Plata

Argentina

1553 AD

Oldest continuously inhabited city in Argentina.

São Paulo

Governorate General of Brazil

Brazil

1554 AD

On January 25, 1554, a group of Jesuit missionaries, led by Father Manuel da Nóbrega, settled on a plateau then called Piratininga, where they founded a college dedicated to the evangelization of the Amerindian populations. The name São Paulo, initially São Paulo dos Campos de Piratininga, was given to it because it was the day dedicated to the apostle with that name.

Diyarbakır

Mesopotamia

Turkey

c. 8000 BC

Within the city center lies the Amida Mound (Amida Höyük), with archaeological evidence of settlement dating back to around 8000 BC. Additionally, the Çayönü Mound, located within Diyarbakır's provincial borders, is considered one of the earliest known permanent human settlements.

Aleppo

Levant

Syria

c. 5000 BC

The site of Aleppo may have been inhabited since the 6th millennium BC.

Byblos

Levant

Lebanon

c. 5000 BC

Inhabited since Neolithic times, it has been closely linked to the legends and history of the Mediterranean region for thousands of years. Byblos is also directly associated with the history and diffusion of the Phoenician alphabet.

Sidon

Levant

Lebanon

c. 4000 BC

The old Sidon neighborhood has been continuously inhabited since 4000 BC.

Damascus

Levant

Syria

c. 3000 BC

Excavations on the outskirts of the city have revealed evidence of inhabitation as early as 8000 to 10,000 BC.

Jerusalem

Levant

Israel and Palestine

c. 3000 BC

The Execration Texts (c. 19th century BC), which refer to a city called rwš3lmm, variously transcribed as Rušalimum/Urušalimum/Rôsh-ramen and the Amarna letters (c. 14th century BC) may be the earliest mention of the city. Nadav Na'aman argues its fortification as the centre of a kingdom dates to around the 18th century BC.

Jenin

Levant

Palestine

c. 2450 BC[citation needed]

Jenin's history goes back to 2450 BC, when it was built by the Canaanites. After 1244, Jenin flourished economically because of its location on the trade route, until a major earthquake completely destroyed the city.

Hama

Levant

Syria

c. 2400 BC

Erbil

Mesopotamia

Iraq

c. 2300 BC

The Citadel of Erbil is a fortified settlement in Erbil, Iraq. The city corresponds to the ancient Assyrian city of Arbela. Settlement at Erbil can be dated back to possibly 6000 BC, but there was no urban life until c. 2300 BC.

Ankara

Anatolia

Turkey

c. 2000 BC

The oldest settlements in and around the city center of Ankara belonged to the Hattic civilization which existed during the Bronze Age.

Jaffa

Levant

Israel

c. 2000 BC

Archaeological evidence shows habitation from 7500 BC.

Acre

Levant

Israel

c. 2000 BC

There were initial settlements in the Acre area dated around 3000 BC.

Jableh

Levant

Syria

2nd millennium BC

There were initial settlements in the area of Jableh, such as Tell Sukas, dated between the 6th-7th millennium BC, and Tell Tweini.

Beirut

Levant

Lebanon

c. 2000 – c. 1800 BC[better source needed]

Latakia

Syria

Syria

2nd millennium BC[better source needed]

In the 2nd millennium BC, the city was the Canaanite port of Ramitha; it was part of the Kingdom of Ugarit, only a few miles further north.

Dumat al-Jandal

Al-Jawf

Saudi Arabia

c. 1000 BC

It was named after Dumah, son of Ishmael and was the capital city of the Qedarite Kingdom.

Eskişehir

Anatolia

Turkey

c. 1000 BC

The city was founded by the Phrygians in at least 1000 BC, although it has been estimated to be older than 4,000 years old. Many Phrygian artifacts and sculptures can still be found in the city's archeological museum.

Gaza

Levant

Palestine

c. 1000 BC

While evidence of habitation dates back at least 5,000 years, it is said to be continuously inhabited for a little more than 3,000 years.

Hebron

Levant

Palestine

Iron Age

Jericho

Levant

Palestine

early 1st millennium BC[citation needed]

Traces of habitation from c. 9000 BC. Fortifications date to 6800 BC (or earlier), making Jericho the earliest known walled city. Archaeological evidence indicates that the city was destroyed and abandoned several times (sometimes remaining uninhabited for hundreds of years at a time), with later rebuilding and expansion.

Medina

Hejaz

Saudi Arabia

9th century BC

Medina has been inhabited at least 1500 years before the Hijra.

Vani

Colchis

Georgia

before 8th century BC

Hamadan (Ecbatana)

Media

Iran

c. 800 BC

The capital city of the Median Empire.

Yerevan

Yerevan

Armenia

782 BC

What is now Yerevan has been settled since at least 3000 BC, at the site of Shengavit.[citation needed] Founded as Erebuni Fortress by the Urartians and most likely inhabited continuously thereafter; though, historical sources from the 5th century BC to the 7th century AD are lacking.

Tabriz

Media

Iran

714 B.C.

An important and prosperous city along the silk road, it was made the capital city several times during various periods under various ruling dynasties of the region.

Istanbul (as Byzantion)

Thrace, Anatolia

Turkey

685 BC Anatolia; 660 BC Thrace

Founded as a colony of Megara. Neolithic site dated to 6400 BC, over port of Lygos by Thracians c. 1150 BC.

Kutaisi

Colchis

Georgia

6th to 4th century BC

Archaeological evidence indicates that the city functioned as the capital of the kingdom of Colchis in the sixth to fifth centuries BC.

Bosra

Levant

Syria

c. 500 BC[better source needed]

Multan

Punjab

Pakistan

3000–2800 BC[better source needed]

One of the oldest cities in South Asia. Also known as Mulasthana or Kashyapapura, this city was founded by Kashyapa, according to Hindu Puranas. The region is home to numerous archaeological sites dating to the era of the Early Harappan period of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Kandahar

Arachosia

Afghanistan

3000–1500 BC[better source needed]

Perhaps the oldest city in Afghanistan. Mundigak is an important archeological site and is located in the present day Kandahar Province.

Balkh

Bactria

Afghanistan

2000-1000 BC

It was considered a major stop on the Silk Road as well as the birthplace of Zoroastrianism and was a major hub for Buddhism. Arab conquerors have called it Umm-al-belad, mother of cities.

Varanasi

Kashi

India

c. 1200 BC

Oldest continuously inhabited city in India. Finds its mention in Ancient Vedas.

Sayram

Transoxiana

Kazakhstan

1000 BC[better source needed]

Oldest continuously inhabited city in Kazakhstan. The city of Sayram is believed by some historians to have been mentioned in the Avesta, with Sairima possibly meaning Sayram. Evidence of an early plumbing system has been found around Sayram and Transoxiana.

Dushanbe

Achaemenid

Tajikistan

1000 BC

Bronze Age burials were discovered dating from the end of the second to the beginning of the first millennium BC. Achaemenid dishes and ceramics were found 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) east of Dushanbe in Qiblai, as the city was controlled by the Achaemenids from the sixth century BC.

Samarkand

Sogdia

Uzbekistan

800–500 BC

Oldest continuously inhabited city in Uzbekistan.

Ujjain

Malwa

India

c. 600 BC

Rose to prominence in c. 600 BC as capital of Avanti.[citation needed]

Peshawar

Gandhara

Pakistan

539 BC[better source needed]

One of the oldest cities of Pakistan, the area was part of Pushkalavati, the capital of Gandhara. During the Kushan Empire, it was known as Purushapura.

Bukhara

Sogdia

Uzbekistan

c. 500 BC

Bhukara was an important Central Asian hub on the Silk Road. The name dates back to the Sanskrit word vihāra, or Buddhist monastery. The city was known for its many madrasas and was the center of the Khanate of Bhukara, which dominated modern day Uzbekistan.[citation needed]

Sialkot (Sagala)

Punjab

Pakistan

4th century BC

The first record of Sialkot dates from the invasion of Alexander the Great, who conquered upper Punjab in 326 BCE.

Anuradhapura

Kingdom of Rajarata

Sri Lanka

4th century BC

Tamluk

Tamralipta

India

3rd century BC[better source needed]

Tamluk or Tamralipta was an ancient port city in Bengal, on the Bay of Bengal. According to ancient Jain texts, Tamralipta was the capital of the Vanga kingdom. The Chinese pilgrim Faxian visited the city in the 5th century AD, and Xuanzang visited it in the 7th century. Tamralipta Jatiya Sarkar was an independent parallel government established in the areas of Tamluk, during the Quit India Movement (1942–1944). It was the first people's government and only parallel government running independently for two years during British Raj.

Madurai

Pandyan Kingdom

India

3rd century BC

Carbon dating evidences of artefacts found at Vaigai Civilisation are found to be from 3rd century BCMegasthenes may have visited Madurai during the 3rd century BC, with the city referred as "Methora" in his accounts. The view is contested by some scholars who believe "Methora" refers to the north Indian city of Mathura, as it was a large and established city in the Mauryan Empire.

Tiruchirappalli

Chola

India

At least from 200 BC[citation needed]

Currently a major city in Tamil Nadu

Lahore

Punjab

Pakistan

c. 1-7th century AD

The origin of Lahore can be traced back somewhere between 1st and 7th centuries A.D. One of the oldest cities of South Asia. The first document that mentions Lahore by name is the Hudud al-'Alam ("The Regions of the World"), written by an unknown author in 982 AD.

Kathmandu-Lalitpur, Nepal

Nepal

Nepal

2nd century AD[citation needed]

The epigraphically attested history of Kathmandu valley begins in the 2nd century.

Handan

Jin, Zhao

China

c. 1080 BC

Beijing (as Ji, Youzhou, Fanyang, Yanjing, Zhongdu, Dadu)

Ji, Yan

China

c. 1045 BC

Paleolithic Homo sapiens lived in the caves from about 27,000 to 10,000 years ago.

Zibo (as Yingqiu, Linzi, Qiling, Zichuan, Boping)

Qi

China

c. 1045 BC

The Lord of Qi, Jiang Ziya, set the capital of his manor at Yingqiu (营丘), which is today's Linzi District.

Jingzhou (as Jinan, Yingdu, Jiangling, Jingsha, Nanjun)

Chu

China

c. 689 BC

Weinan (as Dongfu)

Qin

China

c. 668 BC

Suzhou (as Gusu, Wu, Pingjiang)

Wu

China

514 BC

Taiyuan (as Jinyang)

Jin

China

c. 497 BC

Nanjing (as Yecheng, Moling, Jianye, Jiankang, Jinling, Yingtian, Jiangning)

Wu

China

c. 495 BC

Fu Chai, Lord of the State of Wu, founded a fort named Yecheng (冶城) in today's Nanjing area.

Chengdu

Shu

China

c. 400 BC

The 9th Kaiming king of the ancient Shu moved his capital to the city's current location from today's nearby Pixian.

Changsha (as Linxiang, Xiangzhou, Tanzhou, Tianlin)

Chu

China

c. 365 BC

Kaifeng (as Daliang, Bianzhou, Dongjing, Bianjing)

Wei

China

c. 364 BC

The State of Wei founded a city called Daliang (大梁) as its capital in this area.

Chongqing

Ba

China

c. 316 BC

Liaoyang (as Xiangping, Changping, Liaodong, Pingzhou, Liaozhou, Dongdu, Dongjing)

Yan

China

c. 279 BC

Kashgar

Shule Kingdom

China

2nd century BC

The city of Kashgar was the capital of the Iranic Shule Kingdom and served as a major hub of the Silk Road.

Pyeongyang (as Wanggeom-seong)

Gojoseon

North Korea

194 BC

Built as the capital city of Gojoseon in 194 BC.

Gyeongju

Silla

South Korea

57 BC

Built as the capital city of Silla in 57 BC.

Seoul (as Wiryeseong)

Baekje

South Korea

18 BC

Built as the capital city of Baekjae in 18 BC.

Osaka (as Osumi)

Japan

Japan

390 AD

It was inhabited as early at the 6th–5th centuries BC, and became a port city during the Kofun period. It temporarily served as the capital of Japan from 645 to 655.

Nara (as Heijō)

Japan

Japan

708 AD

Built in 708 and became the capital city in 710 as Heijō-kyō.

Kyoto (as Heian, and sometimes known in the west as Miyako)

Japan

Japan

710 AD

Shimogamo Shrine was built in the 6th century, but the city was officially founded as Heian in 710 and became the capital city in 794 as Heian-kyō.

Hanoi

Âu Lạc

Vietnam

257 BC

In 257 BC, after defeating the last Hùng king, An Dương Vương merged Văn Lang and Nam Cương in to Âu Lạc and set the capital at Cổ Loa citadel, nowadays Đông Anh district of Hanoi. It was also mentioned as Tống Bình in 454 AD and the Đại La citadel was built in 767 during the reign of Emperor Daizong of Tang. Ly Cong Uan then renamed it Thăng Long in 1010.

Huế

Lâm Ấp

Vietnam

192 AD

Huế was built under the name Kandarpapura and used for about 1 century from the beginning of the 4th century to the end of the 4th century (after 380) during the period when Hinayana Buddhism (Thevarada) and Hinduism heavily influenced Lâm Ấp.

Jakarta

Tarumanagara

Indonesia

417 AD

The present area of Jakarta is continuously inhabited as recorded in stone inscription at least since the 5th century CE. According to the 5th century Tugu inscription, the coastal lands in present day Tugu village in North Jakarta, was settled as the capital of Tarumanagara kingdom. The city is continuously inhabited later as Sunda Kelapa, the harbour of Sunda Kingdom (7th century to 1527), as Jayakarta (1527–1619), Dutch port city of Batavia (1610–1942), and Jakarta (1942–today).

Pyay

Pyu city-states

Myanmar

638 AD

Much debate surrounds the construction of Sri Ksetra. Htin Aung suggests that Pyu might have been founded in 78 CE, based on the Sanskrit / Pyu Era. D. G. E. Hall and Gordon Luce, however, claim that civilisation of the Irrawaddy Valley could not have been possible before the 4th century, thus, attributing the founding of Sri Ksetra to 638, from which the current Burmese Kawza Era begins.

Palembang

Srivijaya

Indonesia

683 AD

Believed to be the oldest city in the Malay realm, capital of the Srivijaya empire. According to Kedukan Bukit inscription Jayanasa established Srivijaya kingdom in Palembang area.

Luang Prabang

Muang Sua

Laos

698 AD

Yogyakarta

Mataram Kingdom

Indonesia

732 AD

The historic realm of Mataram of Southern Central Java region, which corresponds to today Yogyakarta city and its surrounding has its root in 8th century Mataram Kingdom. According to Canggal inscription dated 732, the area traditionally known as "Mataram" became the capital of the Medang Kingdom, identified as Mdang i Bhumi Mataram established by King Sanjaya. The city reestablished again as the capital of Mataram Sultanate in 1587, and Yogyakarta Sultanate in 1755.

Malang

Kanjuruhan Kingdom

Indonesia

740 AD

According to Dinoyo inscription, Malang in the past known as Kanjuruhan kingdom and badut temple dated 740 AD but the city itself established older than the temple and inscription. Today Malang Raya or Malang city is the 2nd largest city and metro area in east Java.

Nakhon Si Thammarat

Tambralinga

Thailand

775 AD

An inscription was found at Wat Sema Muang that bore: The king of Srivijaya "had established a foothold on the Malay Peninsula at Ligor" by 775, where he "built various edifices, including a sanctuary dedicated to the Buddha and to the Bodhisattvas Padmapani and Vajrapani."

Siem Reap

Khmer Empire

Cambodia

801 AD

Capital of the Khmer Empire.

Lamphun

Hariphunchai

Thailand

896 AD

Magelang

Mataram

Indonesia

907 AD

Magelang was established on 11 April 907. Magelang was then known as a village called Mantyasih, which is now known as Meteseh.

Hưng Yên

Tĩnh Hải quân

Vietnam

966 AD

Set as the temporary capital of area controlled by warlord Phạm Bạch Hổ during the Anarchy of the 12 Warlords

Bandar Seri Begawan

Po-ni and Bruneian Empire

Brunei

977 AD

Oldest city in Borneo.

Butuan

Rajahnate of Butuan

Philippines

1001 AD

Oldest continuously inhabited city in Mindanao.

Bắc Ninh

Đại Cồ Việt

Vietnam

1009 AD

In 1009, Cổ Pháp village was converted into the city of Thiên Đức, nowadays Bắc Ninh city.

Kediri

Kediri Kingdom

Indonesia

1042 AD

Along with changes in name, it is essentially a union of the two capitals of Panjalu Kingdom and Janggala Kingdom. The settlements are always interspersed along both banks of Brantas River. Administratively, the Government of Indonesia divides Kediri into two political entities, Kediri Regency and the Town of Kediri which is located in the middle of the regency. Nevertheless, archaeological remains exist beyond administrative boundaries and settlements often spread disregarding administrative boundaries between both entities.

Surabaya

Janggala Kingdom

Indonesia

1045 AD

The port city of Janggala or Hujung Galuh was one of the two Javanese capital city that was formed when Airlangga abdicated his throne in 1045 in favour of his two sons. The Kingdom of Janggala comprised the northeastern part of the Kingdom of Kahuripan. The other Kingdom was Kediri. Derived its name from the words "suro" (shark) and "boyo" (crocodile), two creatures which are in a local myth.

Singapore

Kingdom of Singapura

Singapore

1170 AD

Sukhothai

Lavo Kingdom

Thailand

1180 AD

Singhapala

Rajahnate of Cebu

Philippines

c. 1300 AD

Ancient city founded by Sri Rajahmura Lumaya or Sri Lumay, a half Tamil Chola prince. Now part of Barangay Mabolo in Northern district of Cebu City.

Banda Aceh

Aceh Sultanate

Indonesia

1205 AD

Originally named Kutaraja, which means "City of the King".

Manila

Tondo and Rajahnate of Maynila

Philippines

1258 AD

A settlement in the Manila area already existed by the year 1258. This settlement was ruled by Rajah Avirjirkaya whom described as a "Majapahit Suzerain". This settlement was attacked by a Bruneian commander named Rajah Ahmad, who defeated Avirjirkaya and established Manila as a "Muslim principality". By 1570, when the Spanish, led by Miguel López de Legazpi, arrived, it was still inhabited and led by at least one Lakan and several Rajahs.

Nam Định

Đại Việt

Vietnam

1262 AD

In 1262, Tức Mặc village was converted into the city of Thiên Trường, nowadays Nam Định city.

Chiang Rai

Ngoenyang

Thailand

1262 AD

Chiang Mai

Lanna Kingdom

Thailand

1294 AD or 1296 AD

Mangrai founded Chiang Mai in 1294 or 1296 on a site that the Lawa people called Wiang Nopburi.

Taungoo

Pagan Kingdom

Myanmar

1279 AD

Taungoo was founded in 1279 in the waning days of Pagan as part of frontier expansion southwards.

Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya Kingdom

Thailand

1350 AD

Derived its name from the holy Hindu city of Ayodhya, it was the capital city of Siam from 1350 until 1767.

Muar

Majapahit

Malaysia

1361 AD

Phnom Penh

Khmer Empire

Cambodia

1372 AD

Malacca

Malacca Sultanate

Malaysia

1396

Bangkok

Ayutthaya Kingdom

Thailand

Early 15th century AD

The history of Bangkok dates at least back to the early 15th century, when it was a village on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, under the rule of Ayutthaya.

Hải Dương

Đại Việt

Vietnam

1469 AD

Hội An

Đại Việt

Vietnam

1471 AD

Bogor

Sunda Kingdom

Indonesia

1482 AD