30 Most Crowded Cities in the World

Source: USACE HQ , JIM GORDAN, CIV, USACE / Wikimedia commons

30. Baghdad, Iraq
> People per square mile: 28,278
> Population: 1.2 million
> Land area: 42.86 square miles
> Population change, 2005-2015: 24.7%

After being ravaged by war, the population of Baghdad — one of the largest cities in the region — has grown tremendously over the past decade. According to estimates by the UN, Baghdad’s population grew despite constant fighting.

Source: Thinkstock

29. New York, United States of America
> People per square mile: 28,363
> Population: 8.6 million
> Land area: 301.47 square miles
> Population change, 2005-2015: 2.8%

The densest city in America and a world financial center, New York’s population has continued to grow even though it is now completely unaffordable for the typical American household. The city’s most crowded neighborhood is the Upper East Side, with nearly 210,000 people. The Big Apple is home to over 700 skyscrapers and the sixth-tallest building in the world, One World Trade Center, which stands at 1,776 feet.

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28. Indore, India
> People per square mile: 29,347
> Population: 1.5 million
> Land area: 50.26 square miles
> Population change, 2005-2015: 31.9%

The largest city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Indore is one of many Indian cities among the most densely populated in the world. The densest parts of Indore are in the central part of the city in Wards 24, 18, and 15.

Source: Udaykumar PR / Wikimedia commons

27. Kalyan, India
> People per square mile: 29,561
> Population: 1.2 million
> Land area: 40.37 square miles
> Population change, 2005-2015: N/A

With a highly regarded road and rail system, the west Indian city of Kalyan specializes in the manufacturing and trade of chemicals, synthetics, and electrical equipment as part of India’s Greater Mumbai urban agglomeration. An area of 2,054 acres in Kalyan West has been prioritized for development in response to the massive urban density. This project will focus on affordable housing, waterfront development, improving transit, and more.

Source: Thinkstock

26. Varanasi, India
> People per square mile: 30,773
> Population: 1.1 million
> Land area: 35.48 square miles
> Population change, 2005-2015: 18.2%

Varanasi is a city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh of approximately 1.1 million residents. In addition to the city’s large local population, Varanasi is home to a number of holy sites, which help attract an estimated 2.8 million foreign tourists to the city each year. To accommodate the city’s expanding population and large tourism industry, Varanasi is constructing a rapid transit metro system that will span 18 miles across 26 stations, to be completed by 2020.