What is the population of Nanjing?
Nanjing's metropolitan area has about 7,496,000 people, making it the 52nd largest metro area in our dataset of 140 major cities.
In China
Metro population
7,496,000
0.090% of world population
Archive estimateAnnual growth
+0.85%
About 175 people a day
Archive estimateDensity
2,169/km²
3,456 km² metro area
City proper
9,314,685
Within the administrative boundary
GeoNamesAbout Nanjing
With a city-proper population of 9,314,685, Nanjing ranks among China's largest urban centers. The metropolitan area extends to 7,496,000 residents across densely settled terrain at 2,169 people per km². Growth remains modest at 0.9% annually, indicating a maturing population base.
Situated at just 22 meters elevation in eastern China, Nanjing is served by Nanjing Lukou International Airport and nearby Changzhou Benniu International Airport. The city has been continuously established since 49 BCE, making it among the world's oldest inhabited urban settlements. Chen Zhichang serves as the current mayor.
This summary is AI-generated from the statistics on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Key Facts
Airports
Scheduled-service airports within 100 km, nearest first.
- Nanjing Lukou International AirportNKG
37 km from the city centre
- Changzhou Benniu International AirportCZX
95 km from the city centre
Source: OurAirports, matched by distance.
Compared with the World's Largest Cities
Metropolitan population against the fifteen largest metro areas.
| Name | Metro population |
|---|---|
| Tokyo | 37.4M |
| Delhi | 32.9M |
| Shanghai | 29.2M |
| São Paulo | 22.6M |
| Dhaka | 22.5M |
| Mexico City | 22.3M |
| Cairo | 22.2M |
| Mumbai | 21.7M |
| Beijing | 21.5M |
| Osaka | 19M |
| New York | 18.9M |
| Karachi | 17.1M |
| Kinshasa | 17.1M |
| Chongqing | 16.9M |
| Lagos | 15.9M |
| Nanjing | 7.5M |
Population Trend in China
No free source publishes metropolitan population back to 1950, so the parent country's series is shown instead.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 544,044,358 |
| 1960 | 654,802,069 |
| 1970 | 823,308,967 |
| 1980 | 983,163,542 |
| 1990 | 1,153,582,724 |
| 2000 | 1,269,581,175 |
| 2010 | 1,351,561,514 |
| 2020 | 1,426,106,093 |
| 2030 | 1,398,153,832 |
| 2040 | 1,342,816,657 |
| 2050 | 1,260,289,093 |
| 2060 | 1,135,127,191 |
| 2070 | 998,784,319 |
| 2080 | 870,252,344 |
| 2090 | 744,902,836 |
| 2100 | 633,368,113 |
Other Major Cities in China
11 more cities in our dataset.
Nearest Major Cities
Closest cities in our dataset by great-circle distance.
Nanjing Population FAQ
What is the difference between Nanjing's city and metro population?
About 9,314,685 people live within the city proper, while the wider metropolitan area holds roughly 7,496,000. Metro figures include surrounding commuter areas that fall outside the city's administrative boundary.
Is Nanjing growing or shrinking?
Nanjing is growing at +0.85% a year.
What share of China's population lives in Nanjing?
Nanjing's metro area holds about 0.5% of China's total population.
How densely populated is Nanjing?
Nanjing has roughly 2,169 people per km² across a metro area of about 3,456 km².
Which airports serve Nanjing?
The nearest major airports are Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG), Changzhou Benniu International Airport (CZX).
Which country is Nanjing in?
Nanjing is in China, in Asia.
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- #4 São PauloBrazil · 22.6M · +0.75%
- #5 DhakaBangladesh · 22.5M · +2.89%
- #6 Mexico CityMexico · 22.3M · +0.80%