Traffic on the roads is unavoidable. Whether you are in one of the world’s most developed cities or a developing one, every motorist gets stuck in traffic sometime or the other, especially during peak hours. While the situation may be better in cities with robust public transport systems, that’s not always the case. With many cities around the globe becoming hubs for the job market over the years, there has been surge in population, and as a result, traffic has become a menace.
Let’s take a look at some of the cities in the world with the highest traffic, according to Numbeo.
Lagos (Traffic index: 354.5)
Nigeria’s largest city, Lagos, has been ranked number one on the list of the cities with highest traffic. Lagos is a busy port city built on a series of islands. It is surrounding land on the west coast of Africa. It one of the fastest growing cities in the world, with a population of 21 million including its surrounding conurbation. Abuja became Nigeria’s capital in 1991, but Lagos remains the economic heart of the country. The city is particularly notable for its transformation over the past 20 years. From a place which in the late 1990s was beyond state control and regarded as dangerous, to a new world destination with a fledgling tourist industry. It is also attracting back the Nigerian diaspora. Today, it is rapidly gaining built infrastructure and regulation. This enables it to attract more investment and continue to develop. Notably, it is building a whole new urban district, Eko Atlantic City, on land reclaimed from the sea. It is protected by an 8.5km sea wall.
Los Angeles (Traffic index: 314.8)
Los Angeles is celebrated as the entertainment industry capital of the United States. It is increasingly recognised as a creative hub for art and culture. It stands out as one of the largest and most culturally diverse regions in the Americas. The Los Angeles county region at large is nearly 10 million people and 4,000 square miles. It is geographically diverse, with densely populated urban centres, deserts, valleys and coastal communities. It is culturally diverse, with over 200 languages spoken, communities practicing arts and cultural forms from all over the world. The city’s population is nearly half Latino and is a majority people of colour — ahead of the coming trend for the rest of the U.S.
Colombo (Traffic index: 292.2)
Colombo is the capital of Sri Lanka. Situated on the west coast of the island, Colombo is a principal port on the Indian Ocean. It has one of the largest artificial harbors in the world. It handles the majority of Sri Lanka’s foreign trade. The city’s manufacturing industries are based on the processing of raw materials exported through the port. General engineering industries are connected with public utilities and with the sale, service, repair and assembly of motor vehicles and other machinery. These are light manufacturers that process food, drinks and tobacco. Numerous factories are located on the city’s periphery. Colombo is also the commercial centre of the island.
Delhi (Traffic index: 286.7)
Delhi is home to the national capital of India. The city of Delhi actually consists of two components: Old Delhi, in the north, the historic city; and New Delhi, in the south, since 1947 the capital of India, built in the first part of the 20th century as the capital of British India. One of the country’s largest urban agglomerations, Delhi sits astride the Yamuna river, a tributary of the Ganges. The national capital territory embraces Old and New Delhi and the surrounding metropolitan region, as well as adjacent rural areas. Delhi is of great historical significance as an important commercial, transport, and cultural hub, as well as the political centre of India.
Read more: 10 countries with the best work-life balances in the world
Dhaka (Traffic index: 286.4)
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh. It is located just north of the Buriganga river, a channel of the Dhaleswari river, in the south-central part of the country. Dhaka is Bangladesh’s most populous city and is one of the largest metropolises in South Asia. Since its establishment as the capital city, the population, area, and social and economic diversity of Dhaka have grown tremendously. Together with its river port of Narayanganj, 10 miles to the south, Dhaka now is one of the most densely industrialized regions in the country. Traditional products include jamdani (fine-quality muslin), embroidery, silk, and jewelry. Among the city’s major industries are jute processing and the manufacture of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, leather goods, ceramics, and electronics products.
Kolkata (Traffic index: 268.5)
Kolkata is perhaps the most important cultural centre of India. The city is the birthplace of modern Indian literary and artistic thought and of Indian nationalism, and its citizens have made great efforts to preserve Indian culture and civilization. The blending of Eastern and Western cultural influences over the centuries has stimulated the creation of numerous and diverse organizations that contribute to Kolkata’s cultural life. In addition to the universities, these include the Asiatic Society of Bengal, the Bengal Literary Society (Bangiya Sahitya Parishad), the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, the Academy of Fine Arts, the Birla Academy of Art and Culture, and the Maha Bodhi Society.
Mexico City (Traffic index: 261.3)
Mexico City is the capital of Mexico. The term Mexico City can also apply to the capital’s metropolitan area, which includes the Federal District but extends beyond it to the west, north and east, where the state of Mexico surrounds it on three sides. In contrast, the southern part of the Federal District sustains a limited population on its mountain slopes. Mexico City’s leading position with regard to other urban centres of the developing world can be attributed to its origins in a rich and diverse environment, its long history as a densely populated area, and the central role that its rulers have defined for it throughout the ages. Centralism has perhaps influenced Mexico City’s character the most, for the city has been a hub of politics, religion, and trade since the late Post-Classic Period (13th–16th century CE).
Mumbai (Traffic index: 257.9)
Mumbai (also known as Bombay, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It lies on the Konkan coast on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbour. In 2008, Mumbai was named an alpha world city. It is also the wealthiest city in India. And, it has the highest number of millionaires and billionaires among all cities in India. The seven islands that came to constitute Mumbai were home to communities of fishing colonies of the Koli people. For centuries, the islands were under the control of successive indigenous empires before being ceded to the Portuguese Empire. And, subsequently to the East India Company when in 1661 Charles II of England married Catherine of Braganza. And, as part of her dowry Charles received the ports of Tangier and Seven Islands of Bombay. The city was incorporated into Bombay State after Indian gained independence in 1947. In 1960, following the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement, a new state of Maharashtra was created with Bombay as the capital.
Jakarta (Traffic index: 254.9)
Jakarta is the largest city and capital of Indonesia. It lies on the northwest coast of Java at the mouth of the Ciliwung on Jakarta Bay. It is coextensive with the metropolitan district of Greater Jakarta (Jakarta Raya) and nearly coextensive with the daerah khusus ibukota (special capital district) of Jakarta — the latter also including a number of small offshore islands in the Java Sea. Jakarta has some manufacturing industries. There are several iron foundries and repair shops, margarine and soap factories, and printing works. The manufacturing sector includes machinery, cigarettes, paper, glassware, and wire cable — as well as aluminum and asbestos and, more recently, automotive products.
Bangalore (Traffic index: 252.9)
Bengaluru is a city and a capital of the Karnataka state in southern India. Bengaluru is one of India’s largest cities. It lies 3,113 feet above sea level, atop an east-west ridge in the Karnataka Plateau in the southeastern part of the state, at a cultural meeting point of the Kannada- Telugu-, and Tamil-speaking peoples. Large-scale immigration to Bangalore began in the 1950s as the state invested heavily in the public sector and in education. Employment opportunities rose for tens of thousands of people in southern India. Bangalore grew to become one of the largest cities in the country. For several decades the city’s economic growth was based largely on manufacturing industries. In the early 1990s, however, a combination of new national economic liberalization policies and the emergence of a strong education system in the city encouraged the development of an information and communications technology (ICT) sector in Bangalore. That paved the way for its rapid development into both a national and a global ICT centre.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which city has more traffic in the world?
According to Numbeo, Lagos has the highest traffic in the world with traffic index: 354.5.
Which city/country has the best roads?
According to the World Population Review, the country/city with the highest road quality index of 6.5 is Singapore.
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