São Paulo — UN urban centre population
São Paulo has a recorded base population of 18,949,790 for the UN urban centre definition (2025 annual estimate). UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025; the moving counter uses UN 2025–2026 annual growth, not new population observations.
At a glance
Separate UN urban-centre definition
São Paulo UN urban centre: 18,949,790 people (2025), equal to the displayed UN urban centre figure of 18,949,790. Separate GeoNames settlement record: 12,400,232; the UN value is larger (different boundaries; GeoNames population date unavailable). UN WUP 2025 Degree of Urbanisation; not a municipal/province boundary. Association: name/country/coordinates matched; boundary relationship unverified. No containment claim is made.
Administrative units of São Paulo
11 administrative records listed; completeness not established. 11 of 11 population values available; population values and dates not independently verified.
Available-value subtotal: 839,977; not a reconciled total. Shares use the displayed UN urban centre denominator 18,949,790; mixed/unknown dates are not comparable. An em dash means missing, not zero.
| Unit | Population | Share | Membership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ipiranga | 116,271 | 0.61% | Not independently verified |
| Vila Maria | 108,543 | 0.57% | Not independently verified |
| Itaim Bibi | 101,452 | 0.54% | Not independently verified |
| Tucuruvi | 99,559 | 0.53% | Not independently verified |
| Moema | 81,899 | 0.43% | Not independently verified |
| Lapa | 75,533 | 0.40% | Not independently verified |
| Liberdade | 66,056 | 0.35% | Not independently verified |
| Pinheiros | 65,145 | 0.34% | Not independently verified |
| Consolação | 53,249 | 0.28% | Not independently verified |
| Brás | 38,750 | 0.20% | Not independently verified |
| Bom Retiro | 33,520 | 0.18% | Not independently verified |
Comparable database records
Same definition label: UN urban centre. Dates/boundaries may still differ; this is not a harmonised international city ranking. Ratios use 18,949,790 as denominator.
| Place | Population | vs São Paulo |
|---|---|---|
| Bangkok | 18,180,280 | −4.1% |
| Mumbai | 20,203,056 | +6.6% |
| Mexico City | 17,734,212 | −6.4% |
| Beijing | 17,013,303 | −10.2% |
| Karachi | 21,422,590 | +13.0% |
About these numbers
Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025. Reference: 2025 annual estimate. Live method: exponential projection from modelling anchor 2025-01-01 using UN 2025–2026 annual growth (+0.04% per year). This anchor is a modelling convention, not an observed population date. Tiles, ranks and comparisons use the recorded base figure 18,949,790, not the ticking estimate. Country/world denominators are World Bank values and can differ in date and method from local/UN values. Ranks cover only records with the same definition label in this database, not all cities in the world.
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This page is a structured reference entry. Its sources, geographic definition and reference dates determine what the figures mean; it is not independent reporting about the causes of change. Read the accompanying explanation before comparing different places or vintages.