Wanderlust World Wanderlust World New York City is iconic, dense, and globally influential—but it's not the world's most populous city. That title belongs to Tokyo, Japan.
| Rank | Metropolitan Area | Population (Metro) | City Proper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tokyo, Japan | ~37.4 million | ~14 million (23 wards) |
| 2 | Delhi, India | ~33 million | ~16.8 million |
| 3 | Shanghai, China | ~29 million | ~24.9 million |
| 4 | São Paulo, Brazil | ~22.6 million | ~12.4 million |
| 5 | Mexico City, Mexico | ~22.3 million | ~9.2 million |
| — | New York, USA | ~20.1 million (MSA) | ~8.8 million (5 boroughs) |
Tokyo's greater metro area (Kanto region) includes Yokohama, Kawasaki, Saitama, Chiba—seamlessly integrated by the world's busiest rail network. NYC's metro spans NY/NJ/CT/PA across 4 states. Both are megacities; Tokyo is simply larger by most standardized measures.