Figures are based on rough estimates for the year 2005 and rounded to the nearest 1,000.
| Rank
| Metropolitan area name
| Country
| Definition
| Area (km²)
| Population estimate
|
| 1
| Tokyo (Greater Tokyo Area)
| Image:Flag of Japan.svg Japan
| Official metropolitan area (Keihinyo MMA)
| 13,500
| 35,237,000
|
| 2
| Mexico City (Greater Mexico City)
| Image:Mexico flag 300.png Mexico
| Official metropolitan area (ZMCM)
| 5,480
| 19,013,000
|
| 3
| New York City, New York-Newark, New Jersey (New York Metropolitan Area)
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 63217)
| 8,680
| 18,498,000
|
| 4
| Mumbai (Bombay), Maharashtra
| Image:Flag of India.svg India
| Administrative area (MMRDA)
| 4,360
| 18,336,000
|
| 5
| São Paulo (Greater São Paulo Area)
| Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
| Official metropolitan area
| 8,050
| 18,333,000
|
| 6
| Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi
| Image:Flag of India.svg India
| Administrative area (NCT)
| 1,480
| 15,334,000
|
| 7
| Kolkata (Calcutta)
| Image:Flag of India.svg India
| Administrative area (KMD)
| 1,780
| 14,299,000
|
| 8
| Buenos Aires (Gran Buenos Aires)
| Image:Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina
| Metropolitan area
| 3,680
| 13,349,000
|
| 9
| Jakarta (Jabodetabek Metropolitan Area)
| Image:Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia
| Urbanized area
| 2,590
| 13,194,000
|
| 10
| Shanghai
| Image:Flag of Peoples Republic of China.svg China (PRC)
| Municipality (urban population)
| 6,200
| 12,665,000
|
| 11
| Dhaka
| Image:Flag of Bangladesh.svg Bangladesh
| Official metropolitan area (Dhaka Megacity)
| 1,600
| 12,650,000
|
| 12
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, California
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 51445)
| 4,320
| 12,146,000
|
| 13
| Karachi
| Image:Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan
| Administrative area
| 1,990
| 11,819,000
|
| 14
| Rio De Janeiro
| Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
| Official metropolitan area
| 5,000
| 11,469,000
|
| 15
| Osaka-Kobe
| Image:Flag of Japan.svg Japan
| Urbanized area (administrative boundaries) (excludes Kyoto)
| 2,450
| 11,286,000
|
| 16
| Cairo
| Image:Egypt flag 300.png Egypt
| Metropolitan area (urban population)
| 6,300
| 11,146,000
|
| 17
| Lagos
| Image:Nigeria flag large.png Nigeria
| Urbanized area
| 640
| 11,135,000
|
| 18
| Beijing
| Image:Flag of Peoples Republic of China.svg China (PRC)
| Municipality (urban population)
| 16,810
| 10,849,000
|
| 19
| Manila (Metropolitan Manila)
| Image:Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines
| Administrative area (Metro Manila)
| 640
| 10,677,000
|
| 20
| Moscow
| Image:Flag of Russia.svg Russia
| City proper (includes areas administered by Town Council)
| 1,080
| 10,672,000
|
| 21
| Paris, Île-de-France
| Image:Flag of France.svg France
| Administrative area
| 12,010
| 9,854,000
|
| 22
| Istanbul
| Image:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey
| Urbanized area (administrative boundaries)
| 5,340
| 9,760,000
|
| 23
| Seoul
| Image:Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea
| City proper (Seoul Metropolitan City)
| 610
| 9,592,000
|
| 24
| Tianjin
| Image:Flag of Peoples Republic of China.svg China (PRC)
| Municipality (urban population)
| 11,920
| 9,346,000
|
| 25
| Chicago, Illinois
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 16264)
| 5,500
| 8,711,000
|
| 26
| Lima (Lima and Callao Metropolitan Area)
| Image:Flag of Peru.svg Peru
| Official metropolitan area
|
| 8,180,000
|
| 27
| London (Greater London)
| Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
| Administrative area
|
| 7,615,000
|
| 28
| Bogotá
| Image:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia
| Administrative area
|
| 7,594,000
|
| 29
| Tehran
| Image:Iran flag large.png Iran
| City proper
|
| 7,352,000
|
| 30
| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| Image:Flag of Peoples Republic of China.svg China (PRC)
| Urbanized area (administrative boundaries) (excludes Shenzhen)
|
| 7,182,000
|
| 31
| Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu
| Image:Flag of India.svg India
| Administrative area (CMA)
|
| 6,915,000
|
| 32
| Bangkok
| Image:Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand
| Official metropolitan area
|
| 6,604,000
|
| 33
| Rhein-Ruhr North-Duisburg, Essen, Krefeld, Mühlheim an der Ruhr, Oberhausen, Bottrop, Gelsenkirchen, Bochum, Dortmund, Hagen, Hamm and Herne
| Image:Flag of Germany.svg Germany
| Urbanized area (administrative boundaries)
|
| 6,571,000
|
| 34
| Bangalore, Karnataka
| Image:Flag of India.svg India
| Administrative area
|
| 6,532,000
|
| 35
| Lahore, Punjab
| Image:Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan
| Administrative area
|
| 6,373,000
|
| 36
| Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
| Image:Flag of India.svg India
| Administrative area
|
| 6,145,000
|
| 37
| Wuhan, Hubei
| Image:Flag of Peoples Republic of China.svg China (PRC)
| City proper
|
| 6,003,000
|
| 38
| Baghdad
| Image:Iraq flag large.png Iraq
| Metropolitan area
|
| 5,910,000
|
| 39
| Kinshasa
| Image:Flag of the Democratic Republic of Congo.svg Democratic Republic of the Congo
| City proper
|
| 5,717,000
|
| 40
| Santiago (Gran Santiago)
| Image:Flag of Chile.svg Chile
| Metropolitan area
|
| 5,623,000
|
| 41
| Riyadh
| Image:Saudi arabia flag large.png Saudi Arabia
| City proper
|
| 5,514,000
|
| 42
| Saint Petersburg
| Image:Flag of Russia.svg Russia
| Urbanized area
|
| 5,314,000
|
| 43
| Belo Horizonte
| Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
| Metropolitan area
|
| 5,304,000
|
| 44
| Ahmedabad, Gujarat
| Image:Flag of India.svg India
| Administrative area
|
| 5,171,000
|
| 45
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 69076)
| 4,660
| 5,160,000
|
| 46
| Madrid
| Image:Flag of Spain.svg Spain
| Metropolitan area
|
| 5,145,000
|
| 47
| Toronto (Greater Toronto Area)
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Official metropolitan area (Census definition)
| 7,060
| 5,060,000
|
| 48
| Chongqing
| Image:Flag of Peoples Republic of China.svg China (PRC)
| City proper
|
| 4,975,000
|
| 49
| Miami, Florida
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 56602)
| 2,890
| 4,946,000
|
| 50
| Shenyang, Liaoning
| Image:Flag of Peoples Republic of China.svg China (PRC)
| City proper
|
| 4,916,000
|
| 51
| Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
| Image:Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam
| Urbanized area
|
| 4,619,000
|
| 52
| Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex)
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 22042)
| 3,640
| 4,612,000
|
| 53
| Khartoum
| Image:Sudan flag large.png Sudan
| Urbanized area
|
| 4,495,000
|
| 54
| Pune, Maharashtra
| Image:Flag of India.svg India
| Urbanized area
|
| 4,485,000
|
| 55
| Barcelona
| Image:Flag of Spain.svg Spain
| Metropolitan area
|
| 4,424,000
|
| 56
| Sydney, New South Wales
| Image:Flag of Australia.svg Australia
| Metropolitan area (Statistical Division)
| 12,140
| 4,388,000
|
| 57
| Singapore City
| Image:Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore
| City proper
|
| 4,372,000
|
| 58
| Boston, Massachusetts (Greater Boston)
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 09271)
| 4,500
| 4,313,000
|
| 59
| Atlanta, Georgia (Atlanta Metropolitan Area)
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 03817)
| 5,080
| 4,284,000
|
| 60
| Chittagong
| Image:Flag of Bangladesh.svg Bangladesh
| Metropolitan area (census definition)
|
| 4,171,000
|
| 61
| Yangon
| Image:Myanmar flag large.png Myanmar
| Urbanized area
|
| 4,082,000
|
| 62
| Bandung (Kabupaten Bandung)
| Image:Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia
| Urbanized area
|
| 4,020,000
|
| 63
| Milan
| Image:Flag of Italy.svg Italy
| Urbanized area (administrative boundaries)
| 1,700
| 4,007,000
|
| 64
| Washington, DC
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 92242) (excludes Baltimore)
| 3,000
| 3,949,000
|
| 65
| Detroit, Michigan (Metro Detroit)
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 23824)
| 3,270
| 3,909,000
|
| 66
| Guadalajara, Jalisco
| Image:Mexico flag 300.png Mexico
| Official metropolitan area
|
| 3,905,000
|
| 67
| Guangzhou, Guangdong
| Image:Flag of Peoples Republic of China.svg China (PRC)
| City proper
|
| 3,881,000
|
| 68
| Houston, Texas (Greater Houston)
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 40429)
| 3,350
| 3,849,000
|
| 69
| Jeddah
| Image:Saudi arabia flag large.png Saudi Arabia
| City proper
|
| 3,807,000
|
| 70
| Porto Alegre
| Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
| Metropolitan area
|
| 3,795,000
|
| 71
| Alexandria, Al Iskandariyah Governorate
| Image:Egypt flag 300.png Egypt
| Urbanized area
|
| 3,760,000
|
| 72
| Hanoi
| Image:Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam
| Urbanized area
|
| 3,751,000
|
| 73
| Casablanca
| Morocco
| Urbanized area (administrative boundaries)
|
| 3,743,000
|
| 74
| Rhein-Main-Darmstadt, Frankfurt am Main, Offenbach am Main and Wiesbaden (Greater Frankfurt)
| Image:Flag of Germany.svg Germany
| Urbanized area (administrative boundaries)
|
| 3,721,000
|
| 75
| Surat
| Image:Flag of India.svg India
| Urbanized area
|
| 3,671,000
|
| 76
| Melbourne, Victoria
| Image:Flag of Australia.svg Australia
| Metropolitan area (Statistical Division)
| 7,690
| 3,663,000
|
| 77
| Ankara
| Image:Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey
| Urbanized area (administrative boundaries)
|
| 3,593,000
|
| 78
| Busan Metropolitan City
| Image:Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea
| City proper (metropolitan city)
|
| 3,527,000
|
| 79
| Recife, Brazil
| Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
| Metropolitan area
|
| 3,527,000
|
| 80
| Monterrey, Nuevo León
| Image:Mexico flag 300.png Mexico
| Official metropolitan area
|
| 3,517,000
|
| 81
| Abidjan
| Image:Cote d'ivoire flag large.png Côte d'Ivoire
| City proper
|
| 3,516,000
|
| 82
| Montreal, Quebec
| Image:Flag of Canada.svg Canada
| Metropolitan area (Census definition)
| 4,050
| 3,511,000
|
| 83
| Chengdu, Sichuan
| Image:Flag of Peoples Republic of China.svg China (PRC)
| City proper
|
| 3,478,000
|
| 84
| Phoenix--Mesa, Arizona (Valley of the Sun)
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 69184)
| 2,070
| 3,393,000
|
| 85
| San Francisco-Oakland, California
| Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
| Urbanized area (FIPS 78904) (excludes San Jose, California)
| 1,360
| 3,342,000
|
| 86
| Brasilia
| Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
| Metropolitan area
|
| 3,341,000
|
| 87
| Salvador
| Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
| Metropolitan area
|
| 3,331,000
|
| 88
| Berlin
| Image:Flag of Germany.svg Germany
| Urbanized area
|
| 3,328,000
|
| 89
| Rhein-Ruhr Middle-Düsseldorf, Mönchengladbach, Remscheid, Solingen and Wuppertal
| Image:Flag of Germany.svg Germany
| Urbanized area (administrative boundaries)
|
| 3,325,000
|
| 90
| Johannesburg
| Image:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
| Administrative area
|
| 3,288,000
|
| 91
| Kabul
| Image:Afghanistan flag large.png Afghanistan
| City proper
|
| 3,288,000
|
| 92
| Pyongyang
| North Korea
| City proper
|
| 3,284,000
|
| 93
| Caracas
| Image:Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela
| Official metropolitan area
|
| 3,276,000
|
| 94
| Fortaleza
| Image:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
| Metropolitan area
|
| 3,261,000
|
| 95
| Algiers
| Image:Flag of Algeria.svg Algeria
| Administrative area
|
| 3,260,000
|
| 96
| Xi'an
| Image:Flag of Peoples Republic of China.svg China (PRC)
| City proper
|
| 3,256,000
|
| 97
| Athens
| Image:Flag of Greece.svg Greece
| Urbanized area (administrative boundaries)
|
| 3,238,000
|
| 98
| Medellin
| Image:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia
| Metropolitan area
|
| 3,236,000
|
| 99
| Nagoya
| Image:Flag of Japan.svg Japan
| Urbanized area (administrative boundaries)
|
| 3,189,000
|
| 100
| Cape Town
| Image:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
| Urbanized area
|
| 3,103,000
|