1965 Megacities

In 1965, the world’s megacities—urban areas with populations exceeding 10 million—were rare phenomena, with only a handful reaching this threshold. Tokyo led the ranks, having rapidly expanded in the postwar era to become the largest city globally, fueled by Japan’s economic boom and rural-to-urban migration. New York City, already a global metropolis by the early 20th century, maintained its status as a megacity, though its growth had begun to slow compared to earlier decades. Shanghai and Mexico City were also on the cusp of megacity status, both experiencing explosive growth due to industrialization and internal migration. These cities shared histories marked by periods of colonial influence, industrial expansion, and significant rural migration, but their growth patterns diverged: Tokyo and New York had earlier urbanization waves, while cities like Mexico City and Shanghai were in the midst of rapid demographic and spatial expansion. The 1960s marked a turning point, as the phenomenon of megacities began to shift from a handful of exceptional cases to a broader global trend, particularly in developing regions.

Data from UN World Urbanization Prospects