Shanghai — UN urban centre population
Shanghai has a recorded base population of 29,558,908 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
Shanghai UN urban centre: 29,558,908 people (2025), equal to the displayed UN urban centre figure of 29,558,908. Separate GeoNames settlement record: 24,874,500; 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 Shanghai
3 administrative records listed; completeness not established. 3 of 3 population values available; population values and dates not independently verified.
Available-value subtotal: 8,460,212; not a reconciled total. Shares use the displayed UN urban centre denominator 29,558,908; mixed/unknown dates are not comparable. An em dash means missing, not zero.
| Unit | Population | Share | Membership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puxi | 6,683,712 | 22.61% | Not independently verified |
| Jing’an | 936,500 | 3.17% | Not independently verified |
| Zhabei | 840,000 | 2.84% | 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 29,558,908 as denominator.
| Place | Population | vs Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Guangzhou | 27,563,372 | −6.8% |
| Manila | 24,735,305 | −16.3% |
| Dhaka | 36,585,479 | +23.8% |
| Kolkata | 22,549,738 | −23.7% |
| Seoul | 22,490,482 | −23.9% |
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 (+1.18% per year). This anchor is a modelling convention, not an observed population date. Tiles, ranks and comparisons use the recorded base figure 29,558,908, 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.