Megacities – places with a population of 10 million or more – are emerging around the globe, and especially in developing countries. It’s more than just population where these cities dominate. They typically comprise a significant proportion of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and drive much of the economy.

In 1990 there were just 10 megacities, which has tripled to 33 today. By 2050, the United Nations (UN) predicts there will be 47 megacities, with two out of every three people on earth living in an urban area. Click or scroll through to find out which cities will dominate, ranked by their projected 2050 populations as predicted by the Institute for Economics and Peace.

All dollar values in US dollars.