Estimated population of the largest cities in England, France, the Low Countries, Germany and Austria at the beginning of each century from 1500 to 1800
(in thousands)
Characteristic
1500
1600
1700
1800
London
40
200
575
865
Paris
100
220
510
581
Lyon
50
40
97
100
Bordeaux
20
40
50
88
Rouen
40
60
64
81
Vienna
20
50
114
231
Cologne
30
40
42
42
Danzig
20
50
50
40
Augsburg
20
48
21
28
Lubeck
24
23
-
23
Nuremburg
36
40
40
27
Amsterdam
14
65
200
217
Brussels
35
50
80
74
Antwerp
40
47
70
60
Ghent
40
31
51
51
Bruges
30
27
38
32
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Between 1500 and 1800, London grew to be the largest city in Western Europe, with its population growing almost 22 times larger in this period. London would eventually overtake Constantinople as Europe's largest in the 1700s, before becoming the largest city in the world (ahead of Beijing) in the early-1800s.
The most populous cities in this period were the capitals of European empires, with Paris, Amsterdam, and Vienna growing to become the largest cities, alongside the likes of Lisbon and Madrid in Iberia, and Naples or Venice in Italy. Many of northwestern Europe's largest cities in 1500 would eventually be overtaken by others not shown here, such as the port cities of Hamburg, Marseilles or Rotterdam, or more industrial cities such as Berlin, Birmingham, and Munich.
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OECD. (December 31, 2006). Estimated population of the largest cities in England, France, the Low Countries, Germany and Austria at the beginning of each century from 1500 to 1800 (in thousands) [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from /statistics/1281986/population-northwest-europe-largest-cities-historical/
OECD. "Estimated population of the largest cities in England, France, the Low Countries, Germany and Austria at the beginning of each century from 1500 to 1800 (in thousands)." Chart. December 31, 2006. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 21, 2026. /statistics/1281986/population-northwest-europe-largest-cities-historical/
OECD. (2006). Estimated population of the largest cities in England, France, the Low Countries, Germany and Austria at the beginning of each century from 1500 to 1800 (in thousands). ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 21, 2026. /statistics/1281986/population-northwest-europe-largest-cities-historical/
OECD. "Estimated Population of The Largest Cities in England, France, The Low Countries, Germany and Austria at The Beginning of Each Century from 1500 to 1800 (in Thousands)." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 31 Dec 2006, /statistics/1281986/population-northwest-europe-largest-cities-historical/
OECD, Estimated population of the largest cities in England, France, the Low Countries, Germany and Austria at the beginning of each century from 1500 to 1800 (in thousands) ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1281986/population-northwest-europe-largest-cities-historical/ (last visited July 21, 2026)
Estimated population of the largest cities in England, France, the Low Countries, Germany and Austria at the beginning of each century from 1500 to 1800 (in thousands) [Graph], OECD, December 31, 2006. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1281986/population-northwest-europe-largest-cities-historical/
