Major World Cities - Hard

São Paulo

Brazil. Located on the southeast coast. The largest city in South America. World's 5th largest city. Known for its unreliable weather, severe traffic congestion, and multitude of skyscrapers including some of the tallest in the world.

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil. Was the capital of Brazil for two centuries. 15th largest city in the world. Known for its music, carnival celebrations, landmarks, and beaches. 20% of its population lives in poverty in the favelas, and it has one of the highest murder rates in the world.

Brussels

Capital of Belgium and de facto capital of the European Union. Known primarily for its role in international politics. It is the location for many EU institutions as well as the headquarters of NATO.

Sarajevo

Capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Has a long history of religious diversity. Suffered the longest siege of a city in modern times during the Bosnian War.

Tripoli

Capital of Libya. Located on the coast of the Mediterranian. Was the center of power for Muammar Gaddafi when he ruled Libya.

Alexandria

Egypt. Located on the northern coast. Ancient city founded in 332 BC. Second largest city in Egypt. It is a major shipping center.

Kuala Lumpur

Federal capital of Malaysia. Center of an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million. Home to the tallest twin buildings in the world.

Mumbai

India. Located on the western coast. Formerly known as Bombay. Most populous (and richest) city in India and the second largest in the world (in a 3-way tie) with 19 million people. Commercial and financial center, as well as the center for the Bollywood film industry.

Istanbul

Turkey. Historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople. Largest city in Turkey with over 13 million people. Located on the Bosphorus strait and has high strategic value. Has served as the capital for the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Ottoman Empire.

Dubai

United Arab Emirates. Located on the coast of the Persian Gulf. Has a massive oil economy. Known for its innovative architecture and high-profile sporting events.

Montreal

Canada. Second largest city in the country. It is the second largest primarily French-speaking city in the western world after Paris. Known as Canada's cultural capital.

Budapest

Capital of Hungary. Located on the Danube River. Known as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Has many thermal springs, spas, and bath houses.

Belgrade

Capital of Serbia. Strategic location that has been battled over in 115 wars and razed to the ground 44 times. It was the former capital of Yugoslavia.

Guangzhou

China. Located on the SE coast. Previously known as Canton. 3rd largest city in China with more than 12 million people. Part of the Pearl River Delta Megacity which has over 40 million people. Major transporation and shipping hub.

Pyongyang

Capital of North Korea. Political and economic center of the country's Communist regime.

Hong Kong

China. Located on the SE coast. One of the world's most densely populated areas. Was a British colony from 1842 till 1997 and maintains a high level of autonomy and economic freedom. One of the world's leading financial centers with one of the highest per capita incomes and high quality of life.

Tel Aviv

Israel. Second largest city in Israel. Known for its 24-hour culture, beaches, shopping, and entertainment. It is Israel's financial capital and a major center for business.

Geneva

Switzerland. Second largest city in Switzerland. A center for finance and international diplomacy with numerous international organizations headquartered here. Has one of the highest quality of life rankings in the world.

Sydney

Australia. The most populous city in Australia. Site of major landmarks including a famous opera house and bridge. Ranks consistently among the top 10 economic cities in the world. Hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Toronto

Canada. Located in eastern Canada near the US border on the NW shore of Lake Ontario. Largest city in the country. Rated as one of the world's most livable cities, as well as being in the top 10 financial centers of the world

Kabul

Capital of Afghanistan. Largest city and the economic and cultural center of Afghanistan.

Buenos Aires

Capital of Argentina. Located on the east coast. The 12th largest city in the world and the second largest in South America. It has one of the largest economies among world cities and is a major center of culture, politics, and finance.

Vienna

Capital of Austria. The largest city in Austria, as well as its political, economic, and cultural center. Known for its music, magnificent architecture, and innovation. Tied for second for most livable city in 2011.

Dhaka

Capital of Bangladesh. The largest city in Bangladesh and 9th largest in the world. Classified as a megacity and is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Suffers from overcrowding and pollution.

Beijing

Capital of China. Ancient center of arts and culture in China. Located on the NE coast. Is one of the largest cities in the world with over 19 million people and the 2nd largest in China. Headquarters for most of China's largest state-owned companies. Hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Bogotá

Capital of Colombia. It is known as one of the most violent cities in the world stemming from drug trafficking and rebel violence.

Havana

Capital of Cuba. Center for the Castro regime. The city is known for its history, culture, and architecture.

Copenhagen

Capital of Denmark. Located on the eastern coast on a pair of islands. Major center for culture, business, media, and science. It has one of the best quality of life rankings and is one of the most environmentally friendly cities.

Cairo

Capital of Egypt. Located in the NE of the country on the Nile Delta. The largest city in Africa and 14th largest city the world. The cultural center of Egypt. Located near the Great Pyramids and other landmarks.

Paris

Capital of France. Was the largest city in the world for nearly a thousand years. Major center of business, culture, politics, education, etc. Known for its famous landmarks and beauty.

Berlin

Capital of Germany. Located in the NE corner of the country. Second largest city in Europe. Post WWII, the city was split between Eastern and Western Germany until 1990. World center of culture, politics, media, and science.

Athens

Capital of Greece. Largest city in Greece. One of the oldest cities in the world (founded in 1,400 BC). Known for its rich culture and history and many ancient structures. Has suffered a major economic decline.

Reykjavik

Capital of Iceland. It is the world's northernmost capital. Became a financial center and was the world's richest city in 2007 until the financial bubble burst and the economy collapsed.

Jakarta

Capital of Indonesia. 10th largest city in the world.The largest Muslim-majority city in the world. Has large amounts of pollution, deals with regular flooding, and is sinking as well.

Tehran

Capital of Iran. An ancient city that is one of the world's largest urban areas. It suffers from severe air pollution. Has a mix of ancient and modern architecture.

Baghdad

Capital of Iraq. Located near the center of the country on the Tigris River. Largest city in Iraq and second largest in the Arab world. Is attacked frequently by insurgents and terrorists.

Dublin

Capital of Ireland. Located on the eastern coast on the River Liffey. Historical and cultural center of Ireland.

Jerusalem

Capital of Israel. One of the oldest cities in the world. Considered a holy city to the three major Abrahamic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Rome

Capital of Italy. Largest city in Italy and the cultural center for the country. Ancient city known for its monuments and historical architecture. Was the capital of the Roman Empire for centuries.

Tokyo

Capital of Japan. The largest city in the world with 35.7 million people and the largest metro GDP in the world. Considered one of the three "command centers" for the world's economy along with New York City and London.

Nairobi

Capital of Kenya. Largest city in Kenya and the most populous in East Africa - 3 million people. One of the most important cities financially and politically in Africa.

Beirut

Capital of Lebanon. An ancient city (5000 years old), it was divided between Christian and Muslim forces during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) by an area known as the Green Line.

Luxembourg

Capital of Luxembourg. It is a banking and administrative center. In 2011, had the third highest GDP per capita in the world and ranked #1 for personal safety.

Mexico City

Capital of Mexico. Located on what used to be Lake Texcoco in central Mexico. Mexico's political, cultural, educational, and financial center. It is the second largest city in the world (in a 3-way tie) with 19 million people.

Oslo

Capital of Norway. Important center of the maritime shipping industry. Has been ranked first for quality of life among European cities and is one of the most expensive cities in the world. In 2011, it had the highest per capita GDP of large cities.

Lima

Capital of Peru. The largest city in Peru with 9 million people and one of the largest financial hubs in Latin America. It has the oldest continuously functioning university in the Americas (since 1551).

Warsaw

Capital of Poland. Known as the "phoenix city" because it has survived many wars and has been rebuilt many times, especially after WWII when 80% of its buildings were destroyed.

Lisbon

Capital of Portugal. One of the oldest cities in the world. Has a long history as a shipping center stemming from its location on the Atlantic Ocean.

Moscow

Capital of Russia. Located in the far western corner of the country. Is the northernmost megacity in Europe and the most populous city in Europe. It has the most billionaires of any city in the world. It is also known for its architecture including The Kremlin and Saint Basil's Cathedral.

Riyadh

Capital of Saudi Arabia. The largest city in Saudi Arabia and the center of an urban area with nearly 7 million people. Economy is based on oil production.

Mogadishu

Capital of Somalia. The city has been the site of open warfare since the 1990s and many of its residents have fled the city.

Seoul

Capital of South Korea. It is the world's second largest metropolitan area with over 25 million inhabitants and one of the world's most economically powerful cities. Its technological infrastructure is one of the most advanced in the world.

Madrid

Capital of Spain. The largest city in Spain and the third largest in the European Union. It is a major financial center and one of the most livable. It is known for its historical neighborhoods.

Khartoum

Capital of Sudan. Located at the confluence of the White Nile and Blue Nile. Center of the al-Bashir government.

Stockholm

Capital of Sweden. The largest city in Sweden and its cultural, political, and economic center. It is located on 14 islands on the coast. It is known for its beauty and cleanliness.

Damascus

Capital of Syria. According to some sources the oldest inhabited city in the world. As of late, has been the site of violence associated with the uprising against the Bashar al-Assad government.

Taipei

Capital of Taiwan. Center of an urban area with nearly 7 million people. The city has seen rapid economic development and is a center of the high tech industry.

Bangkok

Capital of Thailand. It is the center of a megalopolis of 20 million people. The city is known for its cultural landmarks and attractions including hundreds of Buddhist temples.

Caracas

Capital of Venezuela. Center of the Chavez government. Has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world with an extremely corrupt police force.

Prague

Capital of the Czech Republic. Major cultural center in Europe with rich history. Has become a movie-making center, especially for fantasy and science fiction films.

Kinshasa

Capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Located across the Congo River from the capital of the Republic of the Congo - Brazzaville. It has sprawling slums, a massive number of street children, and is one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

Amsterdam

Capital of the Netherlands. The largest city in the Netherlands as well as its commercial and cultural capital. One of the most important ports in the world and one of the top financial centers in Europe. Consistantly ranks high on quality of living. Also known for its red-light district.

Manila

Capital of the Philippines. The metropolitan region the city is a part of (it's named for the city - add "Metro" to the city name) has over 11 million people and is the 17th largest city in the world.

London

Capital of the United Kingdom. Located on the River Thames. Largest metro area in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. Is one of the three major economic centers in the world along with New York City and Tokyo.

Shanghai

China. Located on the east coast in the Yangtze River Delta. It is the largest city in China and the 7th largest in the world. It is also the fastest growing city in the world as of 2011. It is China's center of finance and commerce and has the busiest container port in the world.

Frankfurt

Germany. Is the financial and transportation center of Germany and the largest financial center in continental Europe. Has a significant number of banks including the European Central Bank.

Munich

Germany. Located in the south of Germany; capital of Bavaria. Financial and publishing hub. The third largest city in Germany. In the top 10 for livability rankings.

Delhi

India. Located in north central India. The capital city of India is located within this city and is named for it - they added the word "New" to the city name. It is the second largest city in India and is very ancient. Major cultural, political, and commercial center. The 6th largest city in the world.

Kolkata

India. Located in the far eastern section of the country. Was the capital of India while it was a British territory. Large population increases and trade disputes have lead to a steady decline in the city's economy. A third of the population lives in slums. 8th largest city in the world.

Bangalore

India. Located in the southern section of the country. India's third largest city. Known as the Silicon Valley of India because of its IT industry.

Venice

Italy. Located in NE Italy on a series of islands. The city is known for its canals, which are used as thoroughfares for much of the population, and for its beauty.

Osaka

Japan. Part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area (which includes this city, Kobe, and Kyoto), one of the largest in the world with 18 million people. The economic center of Japan.

Ciudad Juarez

Mexico. Located across the Mexican border from El Paso, TX. One of the fastest growing cities in the world. It is known as the most violent zone in the world outside declared war zones, due to escalating turf wars between drug cartels.

Tijuana

Mexico. Located on the US border on the Baja California Peninsula and is part of the San Diego metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico. Suffers from a high crime rate due to drug cartel violence.

Monaco

Monaco. City-state with 0.76 sq mi of land on the French Riviera. It is surrounded by France. It is a major banking center and is known as a tax haven. Has the world's highest GDP per capita, the highest life expectancy, and the lowest unemployment rate.

Casablanca

Morocco. Largest city in Morocco and the economic and business center of the country. It has the largest port in North Africa and was an important strategic location in WWII.

The Hague

Netherlands. The seat of Dutch government, but not its capital. Many international organizations are located here, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

Auckland

New Zealand. Largest city in New Zealand. Ranked among the most livable cities and has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world. It is situated on top of a dormant volcanic field.

Lagos

Nigeria. Located on a series of islands on the west coast of Nigeria. The second largest city in Africa and one of the fastest growing in the world. It is one of the largest ports in Africa.

Karachi

Pakistan. The largest city in Pakistan and the 13th largest in the world. It is the center of an urban area with over 21 million people. Main city in Pakistan for shipping and finance.

Lahore

Pakistan. The second largest city in Pakistan and the capital (and cultural center) of Punjab. One of the most densely populated cities in the world. It is an industrial center focused on engineering.

St. Petersburg

Russia. Formerly known as Leningrad. Was the Imperial capital of Russia from 1732 to 1918. It is Russia's second largest city and is known as the most beautiful city in Russia. It is located on the northwest coast very near Estonia and Finland.

Mecca

Saudi Arabia. Known as the "holiest city in Islam" as it is the birthplace of Muhammad and the site of the composition of the Quran. It doubles in size during the Hajj period every year as visitors make pilgrimages to the site.

Singapore

Singapore. City-state with less than 300 sq miles of area on 63 islands. Is considered one of the Asian Tigers. It has the world's fourth largest financial center, the world's third largest oil refining center, and one of the busiest ports in the world.

Johannesburg

South Africa. The largest city in South Africa and has one of the largest economies in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is the world's largest city not on a river, lake, or coastline. The city has severe urban blight and crime problems.

Cape Town

South Africa. The second most populous city in South Africa and the legislative capital. It is famous for its harbor and landmarks. It also has one of the highest murder rates in the world.

Zurich

Switzerland. Largest city in Switzerland. Home to a large number of financial institutions and banks as well as research and development centers. Has gained the status of city with the highest quality of life in the world multiple times.

Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam. Formerly named Saigon. Largest city in Vietnam. The metro area has over 9 million people. The capture of the city marked the end of the Vietnam War.