With the world population doubling in the past 50 years and people increasingly moving to urban areas, population density in many cities is increasing. While high population density can have its positives, such as economic growth and cost efficiency, very high population density also has its drawbacks, such as increased levels of pollution, lack of clean water, social problems, and pressure on the natural environment. So which are the most densely populated urban areas?
Using data from the August 2023 edition of the World Urban Areas report from Demographia, an urban development research group, 24/7 Wall St. identified the most densely populated city in the world. Only 986 urban areas with 500,000 residents or more were considered. Cities on the list are ranked based on the average number of people per square mile living in a given urban area.
To reach population density, Demographia did not use the official boundaries of cities or jurisdictions, but rather their built-up land areas. Such urban areas “function as an integrated economic unit, linked together by commuting flows, social and economic interactions.”
By this definition, the New York City urban area includes the New York City metropolitan area as well as areas in Connecticut (Bridgeport, Danbury, New Haven, Waterbury), East Hampton, Riverhead, and Trenton, New Jersey. As a result, while Manhattan alone has a population density of 70,826 people per square mile, the urban area has a population density of 4,477 people per square mile. Therefore, no U.S. cities made the list.
Except for one city in South America, all of the 50 most densely populated cities in the world are located in Africa and Asia — mostly Asia. In fact, 16 cities are located in India, eight in Pakistan, four in Bangladesh, and three in China. In addition, five cities in Egypt are on the list as well as four in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Also see: The 25 Worst Cities To Live as Global Warming Gets Worse.)
The most densely populated city in the world is Mogadishu in Somalia. The city is home to 4.2 million residents who live on 49 square miles, resulting in a population density of 86,102 people per square mile.
50. Sheikhupura, Pakistan
Source: Dave Primov / Shutterstock.com
- Population density: 41,955 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 923,000 — #577 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 22 square miles (or 57 square km) — #946 largest of 986 urban areas
49. Sargodha, Pakistan
Source: MAKRAK / Shutterstock.com
- Population density: 42,040 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 1,051,000 — #510 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 25 square miles (or 65 square km) — #926 largest of 986 urban areas
48. Kathmandu, Nepal
Source: Hakat / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 42,169 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 3,247,000 — #164 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 77 square miles (or 199 square km) — #596 largest of 986 urban areas
47. Bareilly, UP, India
Source: pradeep sagar images / Shutterstock.com
- Population density: 42,344 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 1,355,000 — #397 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 32 square miles (or 83 square km) — #896 largest of 986 urban areas
46. Damascus, Syria
Source: ali suliman / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Population density: 43,219 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 3,155,000 — #173 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 73 square miles (or 189 square km) — #628 largest of 986 urban areas
45. Solapur, MH, India
Source: Satish Parashar / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Population density: 43,280 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 1,082,000 — #496 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 25 square miles (or 65 square km) — #926 largest of 986 urban areas
44. Sukkur, Pakistan
Source: PredragLasica / Shutterstock.com
- Population density: 43,611 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 785,000 — #666 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 18 square miles (or 47 square km) — #964 largest of 986 urban areas
43. Aligarh, UP, India
Source: Mohammad Shadab Alam / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 43,684 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 1,660,000 — #320 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 38 square miles (or 98 square km) — #847 largest of 986 urban areas
42. Faisalabad, Pakistan
Source: psspifpri / Flickr
- Population density: 44,264 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 5,356,000 — #93 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 121 square miles (or 313 square km) — #413 largest of 986 urban areas
41. Kurnool, AP, India
Source: Fruitbat / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
- Population density: 44,400 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 666,000 — #783 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 15 square miles (or 39 square km) — #974 largest of 986 urban areas
40. Sialkot, Pakistan
Source: Touseef designer / Shutterstock.com
- Population density: 44,563 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 1,426,000 — #369 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 32 square miles (or 83 square km) — #896 largest of 986 urban areas
39. Jalgaon, MH, India
Source: SKK Pix / Shutterstock.com
- Population density: 46,267 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 694,000 — #748 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 15 square miles (or 39 square km) — #974 largest of 986 urban areas
38. Karachi, Pakistan
Source: Umar Kashif Thanvi / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 46,657 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 20,249,000 — #14 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 434 square miles (or 1,124 square km) — #112 largest of 986 urban areas
37. Dakar, Senegal
Source: IgorSPb / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 46,800 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 3,510,000 — #150 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 75 square miles (or 194 square km) — #612 largest of 986 urban areas
36. Bogota, Colombia
Source: pedrosz / Flickr
- Population density: 47,244 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 10,252,000 — #43 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 217 square miles (or 562 square km) — #241 largest of 986 urban areas
35. Douala, Cameroon
Source: mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 48,090 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 3,751,000 — #144 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 78 square miles (or 202 square km) — #592 largest of 986 urban areas
34. Varanasi, UP, India
Source: mckaysavage / Flickr
- Population density: 48,194 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 3,229,000 — #167 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 67 square miles (or 174 square km) — #684 largest of 986 urban areas
33. Patna, BR, India
Source: X_world / Getty Images
- Population density: 48,275 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 3,331,000 — #161 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 69 square miles (or 179 square km) — #667 largest of 986 urban areas
32. Kananga, Congo (Dem. Rep.)
Source: AS photo family / Shutterstock.com
- Population density: 48,393 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 1,355,000 — #397 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 28 square miles (or 73 square km) — #911 largest of 986 urban areas
31. Larkana, Pakistan
Source: SadaQatH / Shutterstock.com
- Population density: 49,083 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 589,000 — #869 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 12 square miles (or 31 square km) — #981 largest of 986 urban areas
30. Alexandria, Egypt
Source: Kayihan Bolukbasi / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 49,133 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 5,552,000 — #89 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 113 square miles (or 293 square km) — #442 largest of 986 urban areas
29. Gaya, BR, India
Source: tinnaporn / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 49,538 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 644,000 — #808 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 13 square miles (or 34 square km) — #979 largest of 986 urban areas
28. Tongcheng (Anqing), AN, China
Source: chuyuss / Shutterstock.com
- Population density: 50,364 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 554,000 — #907 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 11 square miles (or 28 square km) — #982 largest of 986 urban areas
27. Port Said, Egypt
Source: domto / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 51,375 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 822,000 — #646 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 16 square miles (or 41 square km) — #970 largest of 986 urban areas
26. Allahabad, UP, India
Source: harshvardhanroy / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 51,872 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 2,438,000 — #222 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 47 square miles (or 122 square km) — #788 largest of 986 urban areas
25. Yaounde, Cameroon
Source: Raluca Besliu / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 52,750 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 4,642,000 — #111 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 88 square miles (or 228 square km) — #532 largest of 986 urban areas
24. Kabul, Afghanistan
Source: christophe_cerisier / E+ via Getty Images
- Population density: 53,010 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 5,566,000 — #88 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 105 square miles (or 272 square km) — #469 largest of 986 urban areas
23. Moradabad, UP, India
- Population density: 53,800 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 1,345,000 — #403 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 25 square miles (or 65 square km) — #926 largest of 986 urban areas
22. Hargeysa, Somalia
Source: ambjorn / Flickr
- Population density: 56,040 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 1,401,000 — #383 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 25 square miles (or 65 square km) — #926 largest of 986 urban areas
21. Sylhet, Bangladesh
Source: ShikharBhattarai / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 56,632 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 1,076,000 — #498 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 19 square miles (or 49 square km) — #960 largest of 986 urban areas
20. Chittagong, Bangladesh
Source: Syed Mahamudur Rahman / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Population density: 56,811 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 4,204,000 — #129 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 74 square miles (or 192 square km) — #619 largest of 986 urban areas
19. Saharanpur, UP, India
Source: Denis Vostrikov / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 57,600 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 1,152,000 — #459 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 20 square miles (or 52 square km) — #954 largest of 986 urban areas
18. Hong Kong, China: Hong Kong SAR
Source: zhuyufang / E+ via Getty Images
- Population density: 57,750 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 6,468,000 — #76 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 112 square miles (or 290 square km) — #446 largest of 986 urban areas
17. Surat, GJ, India
Source: mikspix / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 58,416 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 6,601,000 — #73 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 113 square miles (or 293 square km) — #442 largest of 986 urban areas
16. Firozabad, UP, India
- Population density: 59,286 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 830,000 — #638 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 14 square miles (or 36 square km) — #977 largest of 986 urban areas
15. Hyderabad, Pakistan
Source: Vedwits / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 59,340 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 2,789,000 — #192 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 47 square miles (or 122 square km) — #788 largest of 986 urban areas
14. Herat, Afghanistan
Source: oddwick / Flickr
- Population density: 60,250 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 1,205,000 — #445 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 20 square miles (or 52 square km) — #954 largest of 986 urban areas
13. Macau, China: Macau SAR
Source: Devasahayam Chandra Dhas / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
- Population density: 61,800 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 618,000 — #838 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 10 square miles (or 26 square km) — #984 largest of 986 urban areas
12. Al-Mansurah, Egypt
Source: By Phevos87 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7599553 / Wikimedia Commons
- Population density: 62,063 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 993,000 — #543 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 16 square miles (or 41 square km) — #970 largest of 986 urban areas
11. Mumbai, MH, India
Source: Sanjog Mhatre / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 62,349 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 25,189,000 — #5 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 404 square miles (or 1,046 square km) — #120 largest of 986 urban areas
10. Muzaffarnagar, UP, India
- Population density: 63,273 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 696,000 — #744 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 11 square miles (or 28 square km) — #982 largest of 986 urban areas
9. Mbuji-Mayi, Congo (Dem. Rep.)
- Population density: 65,906 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 3,493,000 — #152 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 53 square miles (or 137 square km) — #753 largest of 986 urban areas
8. Asansol, WB, India
Source: Dmitrijs Kaminskis / Shutterstock.com
- Population density: 66,154 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 1,720,000 — #311 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 26 square miles (or 67 square km) — #920 largest of 986 urban areas
7. Al-Mahallah, Egypt
Source: By Faris knight - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34986720 / Wikimedia Commons
- Population density: 67,286 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 942,000 — #570 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 14 square miles (or 36 square km) — #977 largest of 986 urban areas
6. Kinshasa, Congo (Dem. Rep.)
Source: mtcurado / Getty Images
- Population density: 67,465 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 13,493,000 — #30 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 200 square miles (or 518 square km) — #263 largest of 986 urban areas
5. Tshikapa, Congo (Dem. Rep.)
- Population density: 72,000 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 936,000 — #572 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 13 square miles (or 34 square km) — #979 largest of 986 urban areas
4. Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Bangladesh
Source: dfid / Flickr
- Population density: 75,000 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 600,000 — #859 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 8 square miles (or 21 square km) — #986 largest of 986 urban areas
3. Dhaka, Bangladesh
Source: Meinzahn / iStock via Getty Images
- Population density: 80,059 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 19,134,000 — #15 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 239 square miles (or 619 square km) — #220 largest of 986 urban areas
2. Tanta, Egypt
Source: By Faris knight - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15362941 / Wikimedia Commons
- Population density: 81,222 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 731,000 — #707 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 9 square miles (or 23 square km) — #985 largest of 986 urban areas
1. Mogadishu, Somalia
Source: sentinelhub / Flickr
- Population density: 86,102 people per square mile
- Estimated population, 2023: 4,219,000 — #127 largest of 986 urban areas
- Built up urban area, 2023: 49 square miles (or 127 square km) — #780 largest of 986 urban areas
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