The Middle East is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing and most densely populated cities. Rapid population growth, rural-to-urban migration, and economic concentration have driven major cities to expand well beyond their historic cores.
This map, via Visual Capitalist's Niccolo Conte, highlights the most populated cities in the region in 2025.
The data for this visualization comes from the United Nations.
Cairo Stands Alone at the Top
Cairo ranks as the Middle East’s most populated city, with more than 25.5 million residents in 2025. The Egyptian capital has expanded steadily for decades, driven by high birth rates and sustained migration from rural areas. Alexandria and several other Egyptian cities also rank highly.
| Rank | Location | City | 2025 population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | Al-Qahirah (Cairo) | 25,566,000 |
| 2 | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | Istanbul | 15,015,000 |
| 3 | 🇮🇷 Iran | Tehrān (Tehran) | 9,175,000 |
| 4 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | Alexandria | 7,267,000 |
| 5 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Ar-Riyāḑ (Riyadh) | 6,916,000 |
| 6 | 🇯🇴 Jordan | Ammān (Amman) | 6,404,000 |
| 7 | 🇮🇶 Iraq | Baghdād (Baghdad) | 6,391,000 |
| 8 | 🇮🇷 Iran | Mashhad | 5,398,000 |
| 9 | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Dubai | 5,284,000 |
| 10 | 🇸🇾 Syria | Dimashq (Damascus) | 4,288,000 |
| 11 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Jeddah | 4,284,000 |
| 12 | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | Al Kuwayt (Kuwait City) | 4,265,000 |
| 13 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | Luxor | 4,188,000 |
| 14 | 🇾🇪 Yemen | Şan'ā' (Sana'a) | 4,019,000 |
| 15 | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | Ankara | 3,612,000 |
| 16 | 🇮🇷 Iran | Karaj | 3,599,000 |
| 17 | 🇸🇾 Syria | Aleppo | 2,922,000 |
| 18 | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | Izmir | 2,650,000 |
| 19 | 🇮🇱 Israel | Tel Aviv | 2,643,000 |
| 20 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Dammam | 2,336,000 |
| 21 | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | Bursa | 2,282,000 |
| 22 | 🇶🇦 Qatar | Ad-Dawhah (Doha) | 2,194,000 |
| 23 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | Banha | 2,089,000 |
| 24 | 🇮🇶 Iraq | Basra | 2,034,000 |
| 25 | 🇮🇷 Iran | Isfahan | 1,844,000 |
| 26 | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | Bayrūt (Beirut) | 1,794,000 |
| 27 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | El Mansura | 1,713,000 |
| 28 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Mecca | 1,692,000 |
| 29 | 🇮🇶 Iraq | Mosul | 1,665,000 |
| 30 | 🇮🇷 Iran | Ahwaz | 1,639,000 |
Türkiye and Iran Anchor Urban Growth
Türkiye places multiple cities in the top 20, led by Istanbul with over 15 million people, followed by Ankara and Izmir.
Iran also features prominently, with Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, and several secondary cities reflecting the country’s large population and relatively balanced urban network.
Gulf Cities Punch Above Their Weight
Several Gulf cities appear high on the list despite much smaller national populations. Riyadh, Dubai, Jeddah, Doha, and Kuwait City have grown rapidly over the past two decades, fueled by economic diversification, infrastructure investment, and foreign labor inflows.
While smaller than Cairo or Istanbul, their growth rates remain among the fastest in the region.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The World’s Wealthiest Nations in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
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