The-10-Most-Populous-Cities-in-the-World-in-1940-Compared-to-Today

The 10 Most Populous Cities in the World in 1940 Compared to Today

If you ever wonder about which were the most populous cities in the world in 1940—and how the list back then compares to the list today—we've assembled that data for you. A couple of major metropolises make the list in both eras, but overall, there's been a pretty big shift in the leading global population centers over these 80 years. It's interesting to note—to Americans, at least—that the US had the world's most populous city in 1940, and two cities in the top 10 most populous cities in the world in 1940. However, today, the US doesn't have a city that even comes close to cracking the top 10. New York, its biggest city, ranks 44th today. You can also compare this list to the one we put together with the top 10 most populous cities in the world in 1950. All in all, there weren't many significant shifts over this 10-year period. In fact the top 10 cities are the same, though several changed positions on the list.

The Biggest Cities in the World in 1940

  1. New York City, USA – 1940 population: ~10.4 million. Rank today: 44; population: ~8.2 million
  1. Tokyo, Japan – 1940 population: ~8.7 million. Rank today: 1; population: ~37.3 million
  1. London, UK – 1940 population: ~8.4 million. Rank today: 35; population: ~9.4 million
  1. Paris, France – 1940 population: ~5.6 million. Rank today: 28; population: ~11 million
  1. Chicago, USA – 1940 population: ~4.4 million; Rank today: 181; population: ~2.7 million
  1. Buenos Aires, Argentina – 1940 population: ~4 million. Rank today: 14; population: ~15.2 million
  1. Moscow, Russia – 1940 population: ~3.8 million. Rank today: 24; population: ~12.5 million
  1. Shanghai, China – 1940 population: ~3.7 million. Rank today: 3; population: ~27.8 million
  1. Kolkata, India – 1940 population: ~3.3 million. Rank today: 15; population: ~15 million
  1. Osaka, Japan – 1940 population: ~3.2 million. Rank today: 107; population: ~4 million

Top 10 Biggest Cities in the World Today That Didn’t Make the Cut in 1940

And, just to round things out, here are the cities in the top 10 most populous today that weren't in the top 10 in 1940. Only two cities (Tokyo and Shanghai) made the top 10 on both lists.
  • Delhi, India – Rank today: 2; population: ~31.1 million. 1940 population: ~915,000
  • Sao Paulo, Brazil – Rank today: 4; population: ~22.2 million. 1940 population: ~2 million
  • Mexico City, Mexico – Rank today: 5; population: ~21.9 million. 1940 population: ~1.9 million
  • Dhaka, Bangladesh – Rank today: 6; population: ~21.7 million. 1940 population: ~237,000
  • Cairo, Egypt – Rank today: 7; population: ~21.3 million. 1940 population: ~1.8 million
  • Beijing, China – Rank today: 8; population: ~20.9 million. 1940 population: ~4 million
  • Mumbai, India – Rank today: 9; population: ~20.7 million. 1940 population: ~1.6 million
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