The world’s 30 largest cities

Make this example your own

Start with this working configuration

Keep the geography and setup, then replace the values or adjust the styling.

Map
3D map
Geography
World cities
Dataset
30 mapped places · Numeric values
Rendering
Dotted 3D basemap with value-scaled extrusions

Includes: pattern fills · linked side table · 3 summary stats

Data you need

  • A place or boundary identifier that matches World cities.
  • Latitude and longitude for every point, or an address/place field that can be geocoded.
  • A numeric value for symbol size or height, plus optional category and popup fields.
  • A title, units, source, and short note explaining definitions or limitations.

How to make a similar map

  1. Prepare one row per mapped place and match it to World cities; use stable geographic codes when available.
  2. Upload the CSV and confirm the location and value fields in Data check. Remove duplicates or unmatched rows before continuing.
  3. Choose a 3D map, scale extrusion height by the value, and add categories only when color provides a useful second comparison.
  4. Add labels, stat cards, and source notes only where they aid interpretation. Keep the interactive table beside the map for lookup and selection.

Try this map style with

These datasets can use the same geography and visual setup.

  • Port cargo volume by city and year
  • Airport passengers by global hub
  • Urban emissions or energy use by metro area

Source and limitations

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.

Population values and population-weighted centroids come from UN table WUP2025-F18. Values are mid-year estimates and use a harmonized Degree of Urbanization city definition.

View data source