The largest city in mine. The largest cities in the world by population and territory
According to rough estimates, there are about 3 million cities on the planet. Small and large, developed and not rich, beautiful resort and fascinating historical. Everyone is good in his own way. And there are those that are notable for their area. In our article, we will talk about cities of size XXL. The criterion for the rating was the “clean” area of \u200b\u200bthe city, which it occupies without counting districts and metropolitan areas. Meet the largest cities in the world by area!
Sydney (12,144.6 sq km)
The ranking opens the largest city in the world by area - Sydney. In combination, this is the largest and one of the most popular Australian cities. It was founded by Arthur Phillip in 1788. The city received its name by the name of Lord Sydney - the famous minister of the British colonies.
Area: 12144.6 sq. Km. Of it, only 1.7 thousand square meters. km is allocated to residential areas, while the rest of the territory is mountains and numerous picturesque parks. The population is 4.5 million, making Sydney the most populous city in the whole country.
Sydney is built around Port Jackson Bay - one of the largest natural bays on earth! From the west, the city is bounded by the Blue Mountains, from the east by the Pacific waters, from the south by the Royal National Park, and from the north by the incredibly beautiful Hawksbury River.
Kinshasa (10,550 sq. Km)
The giant capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo used to have a funny name - Leopoldville. In 1966, it was renamed Kinshasa. Area: 10550 sq. M. km Most of it falls on the sparsely populated countryside. A population of over 10 million people.
Kinshasa stretches along the south bank of the Congo River and is directly opposite the city of Brazzaville (the capital of the Republic of Congo). This is a unique phenomenon when two capitals are located so close to each other - on opposite sides of the same river!
Interesting fact: Kinshasa is the 2nd city in the world after Paris, in which the majority of the population speaks French.
Buenos Aires (4,000 sq km)
Three of the largest cities in the world are closed by the delightful capital of Argentina - Buenos Aires. It is one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in the country. It was created in 1580 on the coast of the Gulf of La Plata. Twice in its history it was restored from ruins: a few years after the foundation it was burned down by the Indians, and in the 19th century it suffered from a series of earthquakes.
Area: 4,000 sq. M. km The population is about 2.8 million people.
On the east and south sides of the city are limited by the bays of Rio de la Plata and Riachuelo. The remaining perimeter is occupied by the legendary Avenida General Paz motorway - it surrounds the city from the west and north.
Karachi (3,530 sq km)
Karachi is a giant port city in Pakistan, the capital of Sindh Province. The history of the city dates back to the era of Alexander the Great.
Area: 3530 sq. M. km - this is 4 times the area of \u200b\u200bHong Kong. The population is over 12 million people. He rightfully bears the title of one of the most densely populated cities on the planet.
The city is geographically located in southern Pakistan, on a flat terrain off the coast of the Arabian Sea.
Alexandria (2680 sq. Km)
This ancient city has more than one millennium. It was created in 332 BC by the very same Alexander the Great. This is the second largest city in Egypt and the main seaport of the state. Entered the top 5 largest cities on earth!
Area: 2680 sq. M. km The population is about 4.5 million people.
Alexandria is comfortably located in the Nile Delta and is about 32 km long along the Mediterranean coast.
Ankara (2500 sq. Km)
The Turkish capital Ankara is one of the oldest cities in Asia Minor and the second most important city in Turkey (second only to Istanbul). It dates back to the 7th century BC!
Area: 2500 sq. km The population is about 4.9 million people.
The city is located at the confluence of the Chubuk and Ankara rivers, on the Anatolian Plateau.
Istanbul (2106 sq. Km)
The former capital of the Great Empires also boasts its scale. Previously, the city bore the proud name of Constantinople and was the real cradle of civilizations.
Area: 2106 sq. M. km The population is about 14 million people.
Located on the shores of the Bosphorus. This is one of the most beautiful cities on the planet, which is included in the top 10 popular tourist routes.
Tehran (1881 sq. Km)
This is a majestic city of Iran, one of the first places in the list of major cities in Asia. Archaeological excavations indicate that settlements on the site of the city existed in the 6th century BC.
Area: 1881 sq. M. km The population is about 9 million people.
Tehran is located in northern Iran at the foot of the Elbrus mountain range.
Bogotá (1,590 sq. Km)
For the appearance of this amazing city it is worth saying “thanks” to the Spanish conquistadors. It was they who founded Bogotá in 1538! Today it is the capital of the Republic of Colombia with an area of \u200b\u200b1,590 square meters. km The population is about 7 million people.
The city is geographically located in the basin of the western slope of the Eastern Cordillera, right at the equator. It is famous for its chic futuristic architecture, a rich selection of museums, incredibly beautiful colonial churches and devastating frequent earthquakes.
London (1,580 sq. Km)
“London from the Great Capital of Great Britain” - every schoolchild knows this. Do you know that this is also one of the largest ports in Britain, as well as a giant city that completes the top 10 largest cities in the world by area?
London was founded back in 43 AD, when the Romans invaded Britain. It is located on the Greenwich meridian, on the Thames River and bears the “title” of the city of fogs. Yes, fogs are common here, like rains.
Area: 1580 sq. M. km The population is about 8 million people.
Finding out which city is the largest in the world is easy. True, there will be several such megacities. After all, some are leaders in terms of size, others in terms of population.
The largest cities in the world by population
When studying a modern geographical map, it is difficult to determine in which settlements the most people live and which city is the largest in the world. Indeed, over time, numerous suburbs joined large megacities: small towns, villages, large and small villages. Neighboring settlements formed vast areas of continuous construction - agglomeration. Such zones are clearly visible on satellite images in clear weather due to artificial lighting, which is used in cities and suburbs. The largest agglomerations are located in different corners of the globe, millions of people live in each of them.
Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city and the most populated metropolis on the American continent, occupies the tenth place in the world. It is a multinational port with developed tourism and a rich cultural life with a population of about 20 million people. It harmoniously combines ancient buildings and modern architectural ensembles of glass and metal.
The largest city in the United States, New York, is in 9th place. It is home to more than 8 million people, and the New York metropolitan area has about 21 million inhabitants. This metropolis is an influential economic and financial center not only of the country, but also of the world. Broadway theaters and the Statue of Liberty are the city’s most famous landmarks. New York experienced the bulk of the saddest events in US history in recent decades - the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Foreign tourists consider this city the most attractive place to visit in the United States.
Mumbai (the old name is Bombay) is in eighth place. Together with the suburbs, the most populated city in India has more than 22 million inhabitants. This is a place where the cultures of Asia and Europe are combined, national traditions are preserved, and local residents are happy to participate in festivals and celebrations of numerous ethnic groups.
In the world there are more than 200 different countries in which there are a huge number of urban settlements, differing from each other in area and population. In our article you can get acquainted with the list of the largest world cities.
Area Rating
Chongqing
Chongqing is a large and ancient city of China, even though it is not the capital of this country. Its area is 82,400 square meters. km, so it is one of the top most populated cities in the world. Chongqing was built about 3,000 thousand years ago. Chongqing’s architecture is quite peculiar and unique, because it combines two epochs at once: modern skyscrapers and buildings, as well as ancient buildings and structures of the Ming and Qing dynasty (for example, Dazu rock carvings, the temple of arhats, Diaoyu fortress, Fuzhong cave). Chongqing has a fairly developed infrastructure, there are about 5 automotive factories, many small factories, famous world companies.
ChongqingHangzhou
Hangzhou is one of the provincial cities of China, located 200 km from Shanghai. Hangzhou ranks second in area - 16,900 sq. Km. Currently, this city is the main supplier of tea in all of China; the main number of tea plantations in the country is concentrated here. Also, coming here, you can look at the unique Xihu Lake, visit nature parks and nature reserves, for example, the National Tea Museum, Flower and Fish Contemplation Park, Songchen Park, as well as historical architectural monuments - the city railway station, Liuheta six harmony pagoda, Baochu pagoda .
HangzhouBeijing
Beijing - the capital of the People’s Republic of China, as well as the third largest city in the world - 16801 sq. Km. Beijing is the largest railway and road junction, the largest political, economic and historical center of the country. The architecture of the city is striking in its diversity: here you can see a huge number of ancient buildings, monuments and national parks, for example, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the National Museum of China, the summer imperial palace, and the Beijing TV tower.
BeijingBrisbane
Brisbane is the largest Australian city with a total area of \u200b\u200b15,800 sq. Km, located in Queensland on the banks of the Brisbane River of the same name. This city is considered an important economic center. Brisbane architecture combines modern houses and skyscrapers, as well as an old colonial style. Here you can see, for example: the Story Bridge, the Brisbane Botanical Garden, the island of sunken ships, the planetarium of Sir Thomas Brisbane.
BrisbaneSydney
Sydney is Australia’s largest administrative, political and economic center with a total area of \u200b\u200b12,200 square kilometers, located on the southeastern shore of Sydney Harbor Bay, which is part of the Tasman Sea. This city is the capital of New South Wales. The architecture of Sydney is made in the colonial style, but there are also modern monuments and buildings, as in any other metropolis. In Sydney you can see, for example: the opera house, the home of Queen Victoria, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Maritime Museum, Tarong Zoo.
SydneyMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital of Victoria, Australia. The total area of \u200b\u200bthe settlement is 10,000 sq. Km. Melbourne is located in the southern part of the country on the banks of the Yarra River. The city is the "sports and cultural" center of Australia. Melbourne architecture combines Victorian and contemporary style. Tourists can visit many museums, national parks, gardens, see the most beautiful buildings and structures, for example: the ring tram, the Royal Botanical Garden, the open zoo, Federation Square, the monument of memory, the princess theater.
MelbourneKinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital of the Republic of Congo, located on the banks of the Congo River. The area of \u200b\u200bthe city is 9960 sq. Km. About 60% of the urban area is occupied by poor rural buildings, as well as green spaces. Tourists coming to Kinshasa can visit the following attractions: Albertin Rift Crater Lakes, Bonobo Chimpanzee Nursery, Lukaya Park, Kinsuka Falls.
KinshasaNaypyidaw
Naypyidaw is the capital of the state of Myanmar, located near the former capital city of Yangon. The total area of \u200b\u200bthe urban district is 7060 sq. Km. The unofficial name of Naypyidaw is “The Royal Country”. The architecture of the city is built in a typical Asian style. The main historical monument is the "Golden Tower" - a Buddhist temple. Also, tourists can visit: Mahabodhi Temple, Zoological Garden, Botanical Park.
NaypyidawIstanbul
Istanbul is located on the shores of the Bosphorus and is one of the largest cities in Turkey, with a total area of \u200b\u200b5461 sq. Km. This city is considered the former capital of the Roman and Byzantine empires. Istanbul is a famous tourist center. There are a huge number of palaces, mosques, historical churches and other places of great beauty, for example: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Suleymaniye Mosque, Golden Horn Bay, the Bosphorus.
IstanbulAnchorage
Anchorage is a city located in Alaska, USA. The area of \u200b\u200bthe city territory is 4415 sq. Km. Anchorage is the northernmost city in the United States, which is the largest transportation hub. The main attractions of Anchorage are: deer farm, the village of Ekluta, the headquarters of Iditarod.
AnchorageKarachi
Karachi is a large port in southern Pakistan with a total area of \u200b\u200b3,530 square kilometers. Karachi is the financial, banking and industrial center of the country. Here are several automobile factories, textile factories, well-developed publishing. The main tourist places of the city of Karachi are: St. Patrick's Cathedral, railway station, the monument “Three Swords”, Fort “Ranikot”.
KarachiMoscow
Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich is 2500 sq. Km. The city is a major economic, industrial and educational center of the country. In Moscow, you can visit a lot of interesting and unique historical places, for example: Red Square, the Kremlin, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Bolshoi Theater, Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard, New and Old Arbat.
MoscowPopulation Rating
Shanghai
Shanghai is one of the most populous cities in China, with a population of 24.1 million people. Shanghai is located on the banks of the Yangtze River in the eastern part of the country. The city is one of the most important economic, industrial, and cultural centers of China, as well as the largest seaport of world significance. Famous sights of Shanghai are, for example: the Pearl of the Orient TV tower, the French quarter, the Bund of Waitang, the Jin Mao tower.
ShanghaiLima
Lima is the capital of Peru, located on the Pacific Ocean at the foot of the Andes. The population is 11.9 million people. Lima is the economic, political and cultural-historical center of the country. The city has a fairly well developed tourism industry. Millions of tourists from all over the world come here every year. The main attractions of Lima are: the Cathedral, Lima balconies, the palace of the government, the Larco Museum, the University of San Marcos, the memorial cemetery.
LimaSao paulo
São Paulo or Latin American Chicago is a city located in southeastern Brazil, with a population of 10.8 million. São Paulo was formed by a group of Jesuits (members of the Catholic Society). The city is named after the Apostle Paul. In Sao Paulo, there are a huge number of modern skyscrapers, offices, industrial areas, as well as various architectural monuments and reserves (the most popular are “Singing Sands”, the Cathedral, the Butantan Nature Reserve).
Sao pauloMexico city
Mexico City is the capital of Mexico with a population of 8.8 million. This city is the main political, economic, as well as cultural center of the country. Mexico City is a very beautiful and colorful city, which is rich in a variety of attractions, for example: the Palace of Fine Arts, the Chapultepec Palace, Constitution Square, Mexico City Cathedral, the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the National Palace.
Mexico cityNew York
New York is a major US city located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The population is 8.5 million people. New York is sometimes called the "Big Apple", which is an important economic, industrial, as well as a tourist center. The most popular cultural and historical sites of the city are: the Statue of Liberty, Manhattan, Central Station, Central Park, Broadway, Brighton Beach.
New YorkBogota
Bogota is the capital of Colombia, one of the oldest cities in the country. The number of inhabitants is 8 million people. The city is divided into 4 main areas: northern, southern, central and El Occidente (part of Bogotá, in which only wealthy people and billionaires live). Most popular places: National Museum of Colombia, Cathedral of Bogotá, Theater Faenza, Botanical Garden of Jose Celestino Mutis.
BogotaLondon
London is the capital of Great Britain, located on the banks of the River Thames. The population is 7.7 million people. London is a leading global financial, industrial and cultural center. The main attractions of the city are: Big Ben Tower, Buckingham Palace, British Museum, Tower Bridge, London Eye Ferris Wheel, Tower, Westminster Abbey.
LondonRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is one of the largest cities in Brazil, with a population of 6.4 million. "Rio" is located on the coast of the Guanabar Bay, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Rio de Janeiro is a city of colors, carnivals, dances and endless smiles. The main attractions of the city are included in the list of objects protected by the UNESCO World Organization: the statue of Jesus Christ, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana Beach.
Rio de JaneiroSt. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is the "northern" capital of Russia, one of the top largest cities in the country. The population is 5.3 million people. St. Petersburg is rich in history, only here a huge number of architectural monuments built in the style of early classicism and modernism are collected. The most famous places of the city are: the Catherine Palace, the Winter Palace, the Church of the Intercession on Blood, Kazan Cathedral, the Hermitage, the cruiser Aurora, Peterhof.
St. PetersburgBarcelona
Barcelona is the capital of the autonomous republic of Catalonia, Spain. The population is 2 million people. Also, the city is the largest Mediterranean port and tourist center of Europe. In Barcelona you can enjoy the views of the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Tibidabo, Casa Batllo, the National Palace, Casa Mila.
BarcelonaIn our article, you met the largest cities in the world in terms of area and population. We also described the most famous sights of each city that tourists usually visit.
Do you know what is the largest city in the world?
Let those who don’t know try to guess, and those who know - I’ll get you a separate answer - “I won’t guess, I know!” They started ...
Which city is the largest in the WORLD?
9 (5.0 % )
2 (1.1 % )
28 (15.5 % )
7 (3.9 % )
25 (13.8 % )
Buenos Aires
6 (3.3 % )
2 (1.1 % )
10 (5.5 % )
81 (44.8 % )
I won’t guess, I KNOW!
11 (6.1 % )
Now let's find out the history of the largest city in the world ...
Tokyo is a city that, in any case, they want to see first of all all those who come to Japan. A huge metropolis, with a population of 12 million people, it is one of the youngest among all the major Japanese cities.
The word "Tokyo" in Japanese means "Eastern capital." The city bearing this name is the capital of Japan and is an agglomeration located in the Kanto region, in the east of the main Japanese island of Honshu. It consists of 23 districts in the territory of the former independent administrative unit - tokyo city. In 1943, the city of Tokyo as an administrative unit was abolished. Now, these counties, together with the cities and municipalities of the western region of Tama, as well as the southern islands of Izu and Ogasawara, form Tokyo Prefecture.
Archaeological excavations indicate that the place where the capital of Japan is now located was inhabited by ancient tribes as far back as the Stone Age. The early inhabitants of the Jomon period (10,000 years BC) were fishermen, hunters, farmers. This valley of abundance is now swallowed by a huge city on the shores of Tokyo Bay.
By 300, Japan was already a more or less united nation. The main life was concentrated in the Kansai region, where the cities of Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka are currently located. The eastern region of Kanto remained a distant, quiet backwater, forgotten by gods and people. Only in the 12th century a small village of Edo was built on this site. The people who lived in these places were mainly engaged in fishing, actually lived in subsistence farming.
In 1457, at the place where the Oriental Garden of the Imperial Palace is now located, Ota Dokan began construction of the castle on the site of the old fort at the small bay of Khibiya. Ten years later, the devastating Onin war raged on the streets of the capital city of Kyoto. Many aristocrats left the capital and took refuge in the far eastern possessions of Dokan. Even then, all the prerequisites were created for turning the poor village of Edo into a city, but Ota Dokan was killed, and his contribution to the development of the region was wasted.
But Tokyo of the 50s
h ttp: // master ok.zhzh.rf on Yandex.Photos
In 1543, Portuguese missionaries and merchants first set foot on Japanese soil. By then, the feudal lords (daimyo) had turned the country into a patchwork of independent provinces. One of the most powerful daimyo, Oda Nobunaga from Chubu province, where Nagoya is now located, quickly realized that the Portuguese could serve his ambitious plans for power. A new religion - Christianity could be used in the struggle against the power of Buddhist monks, in addition, Nobunaga found widespread use of firearms, which the Portuguese brought with them. In 1581, Oda was killed, but by that time he managed to unite under his influence most of central Japan.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi continued the Nobunagi case, but he did not look so favorably at the spread of Christianity, organizing the persecution of its representatives.
Toyotomi authorities tried to challenge Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was the son of a daemo who served the Oda clan, however, after an unsuccessful attempt, he made a truce with Toyotomi, for which he received eight provinces in the eastern region, including the entire Kanto region with the town of Edo. Toyotomi thus attempted to weaken the influence of Tokugawa by weaning him from the native lands of Chubu province, however Tokugawa took this gift as an opportunity to strengthen his power and decided to turn Edo into a real city.
After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1598, power passed to his son, Toyotomi Hideyori. Tokugawa, having overthrown the heir and his followers in the legendary battle of Sekigahara in 1600, seized real power. In 1603, the emperor awarded him the title of shogun (military ruler). Tokugawa chose Edo as his capital, starting the two hundred and fifty-year history of the rule of the Tokugawa clan, known in Japanese history as the "Edo period" (1603-1868).
Under the Tokugawa shoguns, Edo developed at an unprecedented pace. Edo-jo Castle, whose construction was fully completed in 1637, became the largest castle in the world during the life of Ieyasu. Tokugawa seized power in the country seriously and permanently. However, they wanted to be completely sure that not a single daimyo (the so-called wealthy feudal princes of that time) in a remote province could be strengthened and become rich enough to usurp power. After all, Tokugawa Ieyasu himself did just that in his time. The sankin kotai system was established, according to which, each daimyo was ordered to live in Edo for a certain number of months of the year “in front of the shogun.” Further more. When the feudal lord went to his province to put his personal affairs in order, he was obliged to leave his family in the capital, actually hostages.
In the 17th century, there were 270 daimyo in Japan, each holding several houses in Edo for family members and suites, rich houses complemented by carefully designed and unusually expensive landscape gardens. Naturally, spending a huge amount of time and money traveling back and forth, to maintain luxury residences in both the provinces and Edo, it was difficult for the daimyo to conceive something against the shogun.
To meet the needs of this whole crowd of princes, samurai, their servants, led by the shogun, merchants and craftsmen from all over Japan rushed to the new capital. In order to resettle them all, hills were torn down, and marshy areas were covered with this land, forming what is now called Ginza, Shimbashi, and Nihombashi. By 1787, the population had grown to 1.3 million people, and Edo became one of the largest cities on Earth.
The shogunate government considered it dangerous to spread "free" ideas coming from the West, and especially Christianity. In addition, international trade was able to uncontrollably enrich some daimyo. In 1633, the Tokugawa shogunate adopted a policy of complete isolation, slamming the country's doors to the outside world for more than 200 years. Foreigners were forbidden to enter the country, and the Japanese were forbidden to leave it. The one who violated this order was facing the death penalty. The only exceptions were a tightly controlled colony of Chinese merchants in Nagasaki, and a handful of Dutch for whom they set up a small outlet on a tiny island in Nagasaki.
The Edo period (1603-1867) was distinguished by political stability, the country was completely controlled by the shogunate. Japanese society was divided into four classes: samurai, farmers, artisans, and merchants. The manner of dressing, quarters for living and even the turn of speech were strictly regulated, and transitions from class to class were prohibited.
METRO scheme
The city was divided into two parts: Upper City (Yamanote) and Lower City (Shitamachi). In Yamanote, which means “hand of the mountains”, rich daimyo and their samurai settled, while the lower strata of society, which included merchants and artisans, settled on the “lower city” of Shitamachi. Residents of Shitamachi and neighboring neighborhoods lived in dirty, impoverished, closely pressed plywood buildings with earthen floors.
Since Edo was mostly wooden, it goes without saying that the fires that the locals bitterly ironically called Edo-no-hana (flowers of Edo) were a constant threat. In fact, it was difficult to find a person who would not lose his home several times during his life. During the period 1603-1867, nearly 100 major fires passed through the city, not counting the myriad of local fires. One of the most tragic fires occurred in 1657 after a three-month heat without rain. Seized by a strong wind, the flames consumed one after another the wooden buildings with thatched roofs. The fire raged for three days and destroyed three quarters of the city. Then more than 100,000 people died.
Despite its unenviable social position, the welfare of merchants was growing steadily. They were forbidden to flaunt their wealth, to join the joys of life, accessible only to samurai. In particular, they did not have the right to use the services of geishas. However, the money had to be spent somewhere. New types of luxury goods and new entertainments began to appear. The Kabuki theater quickly gained extraordinary popularity, a new type of painting appeared on wooden planks, Ukiyo-e prints, expensive porcelain dishes, silk brocade for luxurious kimonos, varnished products - all this was raised to the level of exalted art.
One of the hallmarks of the time was the entertainment neighborhoods, where the samurai could find wine and women banned in Yamanote. The most legendary area was the Yoshiwara quarter, northeast of the present Asakusa area. Here the rich spent time with beautiful courtesans. During the Edo period, prostitution was legalized and, like everything else in feudal Japan, was strictly controlled by the Tokugawa shogunate. Red light districts sprang up in various areas of Edo, but none could compete with Yoshiwara. Opened in 1657 in the middle of rice fields, far beyond the city gates, Yoshiwara was a real "factory of entertainment": about 3,000 courtesans worked here. They say that they were so sophisticated that the men stayed with them for several days and, having lost their heads, often left whole fortunes here.
Many of these women, such as the famous courtesan named Tayu, were beautiful in their luxurious robes, weighing about 20 kg, including a huge obi (belt) tied in front. Of course, not all of them voluntarily embarked on this path in the hope of enrichment: many were sold to brothels at an early age. To prevent the escape of these unfortunates, the area was surrounded by a moat with water, and it was possible to get there or leave from there only through guarded gates. Courtesans were allowed to leave the area only once a year during the fall festival. These "prisoners" were released only in 1900. The Yoshiwara district itself ceased to exist in 1957, when prostitution was banned in the country.
Another feature of Edo that left its mark in today's Tokyo was the division of the big city into machi districts by professional affiliation. Even today it is possible to stumble upon small enclaves that have a certain specialization. The most famous of these are Jimbocho, the bookstore quarter; Kappabashi, which sells kitchen utensils, and Akihabara, which now sells electronics and manga comics, and previously this area was a small retail outlet and a transshipment point.
By the middle of the 19th century, it became clear that the feudal system had become obsolete. Economic power by that time was concentrated in the hands of merchants, gradually money more and more went into circulation, along with rice. Many samurai clans went broke and were unhappy with the shogunate’s policies.
Turning Edo from a medieval city into a world-class capital required a push from the outside. This push came in 1854 with the American "black squadron" under the command of Matthew Perry (Matthew Perry). This military expedition arrived in Edo-wan (Tokyo Bay) on behalf of the President of the United States demanding that Japan be opened for international trade after centuries of isolation. Soon, other Western countries followed the Americans. Western forces took advantage of forces dissatisfied with the regime of the Tokugawa dynasty. In 1868, the 15th shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty was forced to renounce power in favor of Emperor Mutsuhito (Meiji). The new Meiji government moved the capital from Kyoto to Edo Castle, renaming the city in Tokyo (Eastern Capital).
This event was called the Meiji Restoration, since power again passed from the military to the emperor, and the country again received a single capital. Emperor Mutsuhito completely changed the state’s policy, welcoming the export of ideas and technologies from the West.
Meiji restoration cannot be called a peaceful transfer of power. In Edo, about 2,000 Tokugawa regime adherents tried to resist the imperial guard forces in the short battle of Ueno. The battle took place in the vicinity of the picturesque Kanei-ji temple, which the outfit with Zojo-ji was one of the two family temples of the Tokugawa clan.
Meiji means enlightenment, and the new rulers of Japan have embarked on the industrialization and militarization of society. In a relatively short time, known as the Meiji period (1868-1911), the country quickly moved from a feudal society of samurai and peasants to an industrial state. Samurai lost power and privileges, they were not allowed to carry swords anymore. A cabinet of the government was created, headed by the prime minister, a new constitution was drafted (1889), and a parliament (Diet) was elected. The first railways were built (1872). At the invitation of the government, over 10,000 specialists from England, the USA, Germany, and France came to Tokyo to turn the country into a modern society.
A boom in modernization has begun in Tokyo. Everything has changed: fashion, architecture, food, shops. For a while, everything Japanese was completely forgotten and pushed aside.
In a record short time, Japan won the first military victories over China (1894-95) and Russia (1904-05) and entered the path of the Western empires with the annexation of Taiwan (1895), Korea (1910) and Micronesia (1914).
Having embarked on the path of nationalism, Japan turned Shinto into a chauvinistic state religion. Buddhism was then persecuted by the state, many priceless artifacts and temples were destroyed.
During the Meiji period and the subsequent Taisho period, the changes that occurred throughout the country were most noticeable in the new capital. Tokyo's rapid industrialization, uniting around the nascent huge industrial-trade conglomerate (zaibatsu), attracted job seekers from all over Japan, leading to rapid population growth. In the 1880s, electricity appeared in Tokyo. Former dirty quarters turned into fashionable areas, such as Ginza, where the construction of brick buildings new for the country was carried out. In 1904, Mitsukoshi appeared - the first Western-style Japanese department store, and the department store building in the Nihonbashi district (1914) was called the most grandiose building east of the Suez Canal.
However, although the Meiji Restoration sounded the death knell for former Edo, there were two more events ahead, erasing the remaining traces of the old city. Tokyo was almost completely destroyed twice in the first half of the 20th century: in 1923, a powerful earthquake hit the city (about 8 on the Richter scale), known as the Great Kanto Earthquake. Even more terrifying than the tremors themselves was the fire following the earthquake, which lasted 40 hours and devastated the city, destroying about 300,000 houses. The element left 142,000 victims. Gloomy reminders of this event can be seen at the Kanto Earthquake Memorial Museum.
The restoration of the city began almost immediately, following the wisdom that any business that did not resume activity within three days after the collapse has no future.
The second time a terrible disaster befell Tokyo at the end of World War II: Allied bombs wiped half the city off the face of the earth, killing another 100,000 people.
Since the beginning of the reign of Emperor Hirohito (Showa tenno) in 1926, Japanese society has been characterized by a rising wave of nationalist fervor. In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria, and in 1937 embarked on an open confrontation with China. In 1940, a tripartite agreement was signed with Germany and Italy and a new order of the Asian region was formulated: the Great East Asian sphere of mutual prosperity. The project was based on the desire to create a "bloc of Asian peoples, led by Japan, and free from Western powers." On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, thereby declaring war on the United States - their principal adversary in the Asia-Pacific region.
Despite initial successes, the war was disastrous for Japan. On April 18, 1942, the first bombs fell on Tokyo. On the night of March 9-10, 1944, the city suffered an unprecedented raid, during which 2/5 of the capital was destroyed, almost the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe "lower city" Shitamachi "turned into ruins. About 80,000 people died that night. Later, under the bombs, the Sensoji Buddhist Temple in Asakusa and the Shinto Shrine of Meji Jingu were killed. On August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito made a historic statement to the Japanese people about the surrender of Japan. By this time, Tokyo was almost destroyed.
In 1943, the city of Tokyo was abolished as an administrative unit. During the Second World War on November 24, 1944, the United States began bombing Tokyo. On February 25 and March 10, 1945, American bombers launched heavy bombing attacks on the city. Entire areas of the city with traditional wooden architecture were destroyed and burned, over 100 thousand people died. The historic imperial palace was also destroyed.
From September 1945 to April 1952, the city was occupied by American troops. Opposite the imperial palace was the headquarters of General Douglas MacArthur, who, as commander-in-chief of the Allied forces, led the occupation authorities. Tokyo then entered a period of rapid recovery and economic growth, which became especially intense after the outbreak of the Korean War.
Restoring the Japanese capital from the ashes of World War II was like a miracle. True, the Tokyoers again, as after the Great Kanto earthquake, did not take the opportunity of global reconstruction of the city to make the avenues and streets wider and more elegant, as happened, for example, in Nagoya, but they built new houses on the site of old buildings.
During the American occupation in the early postwar years, Tokyo resembled a huge cheap night club. Today's respectable neighborhoods, such as Yurakucho, were filled with so-called pan-pan girls (prostitutes), and the Ikebukuro and Ueno neighborhoods turned into black market zones. A reminder of this can still be found at the Ameyoko Arcade in Ueno, where even now there is something like a cheap bazaar.
Tokyo was recovering at an unprecedented pace, especially in central areas. A special pride of the Tokyoites was the holding of the 1964 Summer Olympics. In preparation, the city was embraced by an unprecedented construction. Many Japanese see this time as a turning point in the history of the nation, when Japan fully recovered from the devastations of World War II, becoming a full member of the modern world economy.
Construction and modernization continued at a breakneck pace throughout the 70s, peaking towards the end of the 1980s, with rising real estate prices. The cost of land in Tokyo by that time exceeded the value of the entire United States, and Japanese companies, enriched in speculation with real estate, began to buy many famous world entertainment brands, including the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course, Rockefeller Center, the Columbia film studio Pictures. By the beginning of the 90s, the “soap bubble” burst, and the Japanese economy experienced a long recession for more than 15 years.
The main problem in Tokyo and throughout Japan is a decrease in the birth rate and a high concentration of the population. According to a published report for 2011, fertility declined again, falling to a minimum since the Second World War, and in the capital it is even less than the national average. The difference between mortality and birth rates exceeded 200,000. At the same time, the percentage of the population of the retirement age is growing steadily, which increases the burden of the social insurance and pension system. According to the Ministry of National Affairs of Japan, in 2011, pensioners for the first time accounted for 23.3% of the total population of the country. There are 21 million people over 70 years old and 8.66 million people over 80 years old.
Despite the difficulties, Tokyo continues to develop dynamically. New subway lines and new mega-complexes such as Tokyo Midtown are appearing. Modern Tokyo is a huge metropolis of glass, concrete and steel, like all major cities in the world, similar to a huge anthill. The person who first got here is involuntarily lost in this stone maze. And yet, Tokyo can be unusually comfortable if you pull out from the avenues loaded with cars and end up in one of the many kindergartens or parks sandwiched tightly pressed against each other by houses.
They say Tokyo has no face. And maybe this is what makes him attractive: it can be different, changing at every step. History and modernity, traditions and Western innovations live here side by side, not interfering, but rather complementing each other and making this city unusually interesting and peculiar.
With recent history tokyo city one tragic event is connected: on March 20, 1995, members of the Aum Shinrikyo sect committed a terrorist attack using sarin in the Tokyo subway. At the same time 13 were killed and over 6200 people were injured.
According to the list of the most expensive cities to live in 2009, which was published by the American financial and economic magazine Forbes, Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world.
Typically, cities are measured by two parameters: number of inhabitants and area. Most people live in the capital of Japan, Tokyo - 34 million. In second place is Mexico City (Mexico). And on the third - New York (USA). But this rating is made taking into account people who live in the suburbs and satellite cities. If you do not count them, then the picture changes. In this case, the largest city is the South Korean city of Seoul (10 million 231 thousand people), followed by São Paulo (Brazil) and Bombay (India). As for the territory occupied by the city, London is the leader here. Its area is 1580 square meters. In second place is Mexico City. Its area is 1547 square kilometers. This is 0.5% of the total area of \u200b\u200bMexico. And on the third - Los Angeles (1206 square kilometers). In Russia, the largest city is Moscow. Its area is 931 square kilometers, and the population is 10 million people.
Tokyo is the largest city in the world, the capital of Japan, the only giant city in the world with over 40% of the country's population. The population continues to grow. The average population density is 800-1000 people. per 1 square. km According to the forecasts of the Audit of the World Urban Prospects (2007), this largest metropolis, as the most populated agglomerate city, will continue to be Number One.
Tokyo's capital prefecture, which consists of 23 administrative districts, 26 cities, 7 villages and 8 villages, as well as Ogasawara and Izu islands, is located on the Kanto plain of the Pacific coast of Honshu Island.
Of course, the title of the largest city is very shaky - it depends on how you count. There are many different ratings and options on the Internet. But I stopped for example this
10
D Akka is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh. Located in the Ganges Delta, on the left bank of the Buriganga. Dhaka is considered the "capital of the rickshaw of the world" - more than 300 thousand of these colorfully painted "carts" are officially registered here, without which no event can do.
9
Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation, a city of federal significance, the administrative center of the Central Federal District and the center of the Moscow Region, which is not part of. Moscow is the largest nationwide financial center, an international business center and a management center for a large part of the country's economy. For example, about half of the banks registered in Russia are concentrated in Moscow. According to Ernst & Young, Moscow ranks 7th among European cities in terms of investment attractiveness.
8
M Umbai is a city in western India, on the coast of the Arabian Sea. The administrative center of the state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the country's cultural center, there are many museums and art galleries, concerts are held with the participation of both national artists and world-famous stars, as well as the largest film companies in all of India.
7
Guangzhou is a city of sub-provincial significance of the People’s Republic of China, the capital of Guangdong Province, a political, economic, scientific, technical, educational, cultural and transport center of all of southern China.
6
From Tambul - the largest city in Turkey, the main commercial, industrial and cultural center, the main port of the country. It is located on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait, dividing it into European and Asian parts, connected by bridges and metrotunnel. By population, the first city in Europe (when taking into account the population living in both the European and Asian parts). The former capital of the Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman empires.
5
L Agos is a port city in southwestern Nigeria, the country's largest city. Lagos is the most populated city in Africa. About half of Nigeria's industry is concentrated in Lagos.
4
Delhi is located in northern India on the banks of the Jamna River. Delhi is a multinational city in which different cultures are mixed. Delhi has also become a city of science, and occupies a leading position not only in the field of information technology, telecommunications, but also in the natural sciences and applied sciences. 30% of IT in India is concentrated in Delhi (here Delhi is second only to Bangalore, in which 35% of IT specialists are concentrated).
3
Beijing is the capital and one of the cities of central subordination of the People’s Republic of China. Beijing is surrounded on three sides by Hebei Province and borders on Tianjin in the southeast. Beijing has the headquarters of most of China's national companies. China's largest transportation hub, many highways and railways begin in Beijing, and Beijing Capital International Airport is the second largest in the world in passenger traffic.
2
K Arachi is a port city in southern Pakistan, the largest city in the country and one of the largest cities in the world, the administrative center of Sindh province. The favorable geographical position of the city, located in a convenient natural harbor, contributed to its rapid growth and development during the colonial period, and especially after the division in 1947 of British India into two independent states - India and Pakistan.
1
Sh anhai is the largest city in China and one of the largest cities in the world in terms of population. Located in the Yangtze River Delta in eastern China. The industrial sector of the city occupies a leading position in the state. The most profitable and developed areas are automobile manufacturing, mechanical engineering, petrochemical processing, metallurgy, textile and light industry.
Shanghai is a cozy, hospitable and, at the same time, the most highly developed metropolis in China. Western chic and oriental charm are wonderfully intertwined in it. The metropolis is replete with expensive restaurants, breathtaking skyscrapers, trendy shopping centers, casinos, luxury hotels and ancient architectural buildings. Europeans often compare it with Venice and Paris, in connection with which many beautiful nicknames have even entrenched in the city - Pearl of the East, a shopping paradise, East Paris.