1950 Megacities

In 1950, the concept of "megacity"—typically defined as an urban area with a population exceeding 10 million—was in its infancy, with only a handful of cities fitting the criteria. The largest megacities at that time were New York City and Tokyo, each surpassing the 10 million mark, while cities like London and Shanghai hovered just below that threshold. New York City, fueled by waves of immigration and postwar economic growth, had become the world's most populous urban area, serving as a global hub for finance, culture, and industry. Tokyo, recovering from wartime devastation, was rapidly expanding, setting the stage for the explosive growth that would characterize Japanese cities in the coming decades. London, once the world's largest city during the 19th century, was experiencing slower growth due to postwar rebuilding and suburbanization. Shanghai, historically China's commercial heart, was constrained by political upheaval and early Communist policies but remained a dense urban center. The population trends of 1950's megacities reflected broader global shifts: the beginning of rapid urbanization, the aftermath of World War II, and the early stages of economic booms in Asia and North America, all of which would dramatically reshape the urban landscape in the latter half of the 20th century.

Data from UN World Urbanization Prospects