"what is the biggest city?"
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What “bigest city” can mean
The phrase “biggest city” is ambiguous because “big” can refer to:
| Criterion | Typical ranking (2025) | Approx. population / area | How it’s measured |
|---|---|---|---|
| City proper (administrative boundaries) | Chongqing, China | ~32 million people; 82 403 km² | Population and land area inside the municipality’s official limits1 |
| Urban agglomeration / metro area | Jakarta, Indonesia (recently overtook Tokyo) | >30 million people67 | Continuous built‑up area and commuter zone |
| Traditional urban agglomeration ranking | Tokyo, Japan (still cited in many lists) | ~37 million people24 | Broad metropolitan region, often the most cited “largest city” |
Bottom line – The “biggest” city depends on the metric you choose.
1. By Population
a. City‑proper (administrative limits)
- Chongqing, China is the largest city proper in the world. Its municipal government covers an area of 82 403 km² and contains roughly 32 million residents1.
- This figure makes it the most populous single administrative entity, even though much of the territory is rural or mountainous.
b. Urban agglomeration / metropolitan area
- Jakarta, Indonesia has recently been reported to have surpassed Tokyo as the world’s most populous metro area, with over 30 million inhabitants67.
- The shift reflects rapid growth in Indonesia’s capital and updated methodology that counts the contiguous urban footprint.
c. Traditional ranking (often quoted)
- Tokyo, Japan remains the most frequently cited “largest city” in many global lists, with an estimated ≈ 37 million people in its metropolitan region24.
- Tokyo’s dominance in older data sets stems from its long‑standing status as the world’s biggest megacity.
2. By Land Area
- Chongqing also tops the list when “biggest” is defined by sheer land area. Its municipal jurisdiction stretches over 82 403 km², dwarfing the geographic size of most other city‑level administrations1.
- By contrast, most other megacities (e.g., Tokyo, Jakarta) have far smaller administrative footprints, even though their urban densities are higher.
3. Why the rankings change
- Census updates: New population counts are released every few years, altering the rankings.
- Definition differences: Some sources count only the legal city limits, while others aggregate surrounding suburbs and commuter zones.
- Rapid urban growth: Cities like Jakarta are expanding quickly, so they can overtake previously larger metros in a short time span.
Quick reference
| Metric | Biggest city (2025) | Approx. size |
|---|---|---|
| City proper (pop.) | Chongqing, China | ~32 M people |
| City proper (area) | Chongqing, China | 82 403 km² |
| Metro/urban agglomeration | Jakarta, Indonesia (now) | >30 M people |
| Traditional metro ranking | Tokyo, Japan | ~37 M people |
Use the metric that aligns with your purpose—whether you need the largest administrative unit, the most populous continuous urban area, or the greatest land coverage.