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15 Largest Cities in the Middle East With a Map

Using the map, name the 15 most populous urban areas in the Middle East.
Urban area population, not city proper
According to citypopulation.de, January 2025
Quiz by
Quizzer6794
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Last updated: March 18, 2025
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First submittedAugust 26, 2016
Times taken113,362
Average score80.0%
Rating4.92
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Population
City
22.8 m
Cairo
16.8 m
Tehran
16.0 m
Istanbul
7.80 m
Baghdad
7.70 m
Riyadh
6.25 m
Alexandria
6.15 m
Amman
6.05 m
Dubai
5.20 m
Ankara
5.05 m
Kuwait City
3.95 m
Jeddah
3.98 m
Damascus
3.48 m
Mashhad
3.43 m
Isfahan
3.28 m
Sana'a
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94 Comments
AlejandroAP
+12
Level 86
Aug 26, 2016
Great quiz! Nice job!
Quizzer6794
+5
Level 66
Aug 26, 2016
Thanks!
GrandMo
+71
Level 69
Aug 26, 2016
Haha these scores are exactly as I would expect them to be and match exactly how well I did.

National capital, national capital, major city, major city, etc., lesser cities that I've heard of...

Wait, there are more cities in Iran than the capital? Not gonna get those...

azhfandak
+6
Level 78
Oct 7, 2016
kuwiat as a country has just 3.6 millions. how it possible for its capital to contain more that 4 million peoples. your source is definitely wrong. try other sources like cia factbook.
Quizmaster
+19
Level ∞
Oct 30, 2016
https://www.citypopulation.de/php/kuwait-admin.php

I wonder if the difference is in how migrant workers, which comprise the majority of the population, are counted? But why do you assume our source is "definitely" wrong and the CIA World Factbook is right. Our source has a detailed breakdown, the CIA World Factbook doesn't.

Quizzer4ever
+2
Level 25
Feb 1, 2021
Tel-Aviv-Yafo in Israel has a population of over 4M

https://populationstat.com/israel/tel-aviv

richiesyxx
+1
Level 74
May 29, 2022
Because it’s a tiny state with a massive city, in which most of the people live? The way you ask, it sounds like you think such a thing impossible? You should look at the Vatican, 100% of its population live in it’s capital!
wiifly
+10
Level 64
May 29, 2022
I din’t think you read their comment…
MBAMatt
+7
Level 82
Oct 14, 2016
JIDDAH!
kalbahamut
+10
Level 79
Jan 23, 2017
Are you from the Middle East? I first encountered that spelling only after I traveled there. I think it's new. Mecca has transitioned to Makkah. Medina to Madinah. Spelling seems to be a moving target when it comes to names that are transliterated into other scripts. See Peking > Beijing and Bombay > Mumbai or Calcutta > Kolkata.
Sifhraven
+5
Level 76
Mar 27, 2020
Not only that, even in the local languages of places, just study old maps. I've always found it fascinating to see the change of placenames through the centuries. Sometimes clearly miscopied maps, sometimes different sources of words that hadn't been seen written before. And the usual shifts that happened in all words of a language not just placenames.
JackintheBox
+1
Level 82
Jul 4, 2020
I've never seen the transliterations of Jiddah, Makkah or Madinah.
HydratedMite
+1
Level 68
Mar 28, 2024
Maybe because A) they're recent and B) you don't live where they're commonly used, or where those cities are commonly mentioned either

Google Maps uses them anyhow

Eigengrau
+1
Level 62
Aug 4, 2020
And so type-ins should be added.
sergeantmalice
+2
Level 56
May 29, 2022
It varies wildly depending on where you're from. In my accent its Gaddah
ander217
+1
Level 74
Mar 22, 2025
I kept trying things like Jedda, Jetta, etc. couldn’t figure out why they weren’t accepted. I forgot the H!
gzx5
+5
Level 75
Oct 30, 2016
Only the Sinai is in the Middle East, the rest of Egypt is in North Africa which includes both Cairo and Alexandria.
Quizmaster
+5
Level ∞
Oct 30, 2016
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East
gzx5
+5
Level 75
Apr 10, 2017
I saw your link, but whoever updated that page on Wikipedia made a slight mistake on Egypt. Some countries are transcontinental and have cities on two continents. For example, Moscow is in the European part of Russia while Vladivostok is in the Asian part of Russia. Much of Istanbul is in Europe while Ankara is in Asia. In Egypt Cairo is in Africa but Sharm El Sheik is in the Middle East.
Quizzer6794
+36
Level 66
Apr 10, 2017
gzx5, you're confusing "Middle East" and "Western Asia". The Middle East actually spans over Egypt and isn't monocontinental.
RedLightning
+5
Level 47
Jun 19, 2019
Yes, the Middle East includes all of Egypt, and the European part of Turkey, while Western Asia includes the Sinai peninsula of Egypt (which is in Asia), Turkey excluding the European part, and the Caucasus (which the Middle East doesn't).
wiifly
+7
Level 64
May 29, 2022
Man really just tried to explain Transcontinental countries to QM
tshalla
+5
Level 78
Jun 1, 2022
Maybe it's time to jettison "the Middle East" as the best term and delineation for a region. It's Eurocentric to the core, with the Balkans constituting the Near East and anything beyond Iran, the Far East. It makes no sense outside of a historical European perspective that has historical European interests at heart. One can instead work with West Asia (or Southwest Asia); West Asia and North Africa; the Arab (majority) world; or something similar. Each of these would draw the borders somewhat differently - and those borders would remain forever debatable - but, after all, this is the site where people get pretty worked up about the continental status of Cyprus.
HydratedMite
+1
Level 68
Mar 28, 2024
Yeah, if anything, it's just the middle. The cradle of civilization with some of the earliest evidence of human life! The term "middle east" tells you nothing about the actual region apart from it being moderately east of the people calling it that (Europe)
richiesyxx
+1
Level 74
May 29, 2022
This reminds my of my first year at university, studied History and Politics and I took a module called ‘Politics of the Middle East,’ and the very first week was on “Defining the Middle East.” By the end of which, every one is in agreement that there is no agreed definition of what exactly the Middle East includes. Although, the ‘middle’ bit comes from old British colonial speak. They referred to everywhere not in the Western world as ‘The East,’ China being the Far East, and the Near East often meaning Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Caucasus etc. Egypt though, is always referred to as being both Middle East and North Africa, mainly due to cultural ties, religion, language and the not inconsiderable role it plays/played in regional politics/conflict. Maybe have a look at Edward Said’s ‘Orientalism.’
999uuu1
+1
Level 43
Jan 11, 2024
exact same lol. The one thing my teacher (lebanese man) insisted upon was that afghanistan is not the middle east and we should stop calling it such.
HydratedMite
+1
Level 68
Mar 28, 2024
who calls it middle east? even calling Iran middle eastern is the absolute extent! southern or central Asia 100%
ponnuki
+4
Level 57
Jan 23, 2017
Do I finally know how to spell 'Jeddah', then you come along with Mashhad. Blergh.
nichster
+3
Level 56
Jan 23, 2017
I got most of the obvious ones: Was surprised that Doha was not there but that is too small.
anonymousrbarm
+1
Level 28
Jan 24, 2017
accept isfaghan
Quizzer6794
+1
Level 66
Jan 24, 2017
Wikipedia shows Isfahan, Sepahan, Hispahan, and former names Spahān and Aspadana. Let's just say Arabic doesn't concisely translate to English.
qeqertarsuaq
+4
Level 49
Sep 1, 2017
Esfahan, please.
furqanahmad
+15
Level 25
Apr 6, 2020
its persian
chemguy16
+1
Level 60
Jun 11, 2025
I think his point still stands
IsleAuHaulte
+1
Level 92
Jul 1, 2018
Is that a joke?
sleekcollins
+6
Level 68
Jan 24, 2017
Damn you Iran.
SkyjumperTalon
+1
Level 58
Jan 25, 2017
Isfahan!!
Anzi
+1
Level 68
Apr 10, 2017
Good quiz!
Soapymonkey
+2
Level 43
Apr 24, 2017
I was wondering how there are still so many people in Syria. Aren't they all basically dead by now?
smartguy2
+21
Level 68
Oct 30, 2017
Um no they're not all dead.
999uuu1
+2
Level 43
Jan 11, 2024
A quick search puts most estimates of deaths in the Syrian Civil War at 500k-600k with the UN estimating about 350k.

People seem to forget that wars tend not be truly genocidal and all killing a la eastern front ww2

Pinoccio
+2
Level 28
Nov 9, 2017
Here is a map quiz for this
PixonState
+2
Level 40
Feb 13, 2018
One can learn a lot from EUIV
doganka
+1
Level 39
Feb 15, 2018
15/15 3:00
awesomeman259
+1
Level 48
Apr 5, 2018
15/15 3:34
drewscy89
+5
Level 22
Apr 16, 2018
Its Jiddah in Saudi Arabia not Jeddah. If you will not change the spelling at least accept Jiddah as a correct answer. I was going crazy . Otherwise nice quiz
Oaf
+3
Level 67
Feb 10, 2019
It's Jeddah (some accept without the 'H' on the end) on every other quiz on here. There are quizzes for cities and nations in their native languages...
HydratedMite
+3
Level 68
Mar 28, 2024
It's just a slightly different transliteration, Arabic has a million of those. I think it's reasonable since that transliteration is also commonly used, at least over there.
puzzler05
+1
Level 48
May 20, 2019
where is tel aviv?
tielenhei87
+27
Level 83
May 20, 2019
In Israel
Raz07
+1
Level 57
May 20, 2019
please accept jedah with one h
HydratedMite
+1
Level 68
Mar 28, 2024
*d
Osiris
+2
Level 68
May 22, 2019
I just learned about the existence of two pretty large Iranian cities. Otherwise, it was a fairly easy quiz.
panvot
+2
Level 56
Dec 30, 2019
Accept Ispahan please!
Quizmaster
+3
Level ∞
Dec 30, 2019
Sure, why not.
NV1
+3
Level 55
Jan 26, 2020
Please accept Abu Dhabi
Quizzer6794
+21
Level 66
Jan 26, 2020
But it's not an answer..?
Dollyfroggy
+3
Level 63
May 29, 2022
This reminds me of the time when some people wanted Afrikaans to be accepted and didn't understand why it was refused even though it wasn't an answer.
richiesyxx
+3
Level 74
May 29, 2022
And I think you should accept Palikir. By exactly the same logic…
barmanitan
+1
Level 83
Aug 28, 2020
Weird the way the h is necessary in Riyadh, but not Jeddah, despite neither being pronounced in English. (also Mashhad but it's a double)
EmadAB
+2
Level 48
Apr 9, 2024
If you speak Arabic they all make sense.
barmanitan
+1
Level 83
Mar 18, 2025
I have since learned some basic Arabic and dont really see how that makes a difference? Dhaad is still different to daal
KingEureka
+1
Level 62
Aug 30, 2020
More typeins for Isfahan please
JohnnyYeet
+1
Level 65
Sep 10, 2020
No Jerusalem or Tel Aviv - Yafo?
NV1
+1
Level 55
Oct 26, 2020
100%
gamergeo
+1
Level 50
Aug 5, 2021
turkey is not in the middle east tho
richiesyxx
+2
Level 74
May 29, 2022
A few million Kurds might disagree
Iheartmozzarella
+1
Level 35
Aug 25, 2021
i got all right 3:16 left
Hadi123
+1
Level 19
Dec 2, 2021
Beirut is 18 Square Miles Or 67 Square kilometers while damascus is 17 square miles or 43 miles. So beirut is bigger
EvanAviator
+8
Level 61
Dec 31, 2021
mate this is not an area quiz.. that would be pretty useless
UAE1234
+1
Level 33
Dec 19, 2021
Dang it i forgot that Isfahan existed!!
bn9043
+2
Level 63
Mar 2, 2022
Tehran, Isfahan, and Mashhad are the only Iranian cities I know, wasn't expecting Isfahan to be an answer but I was desperate so I put it in, 100% with 3:12 remaining
ColinShadow
+1
Level 55
Oct 12, 2024
Thx for giving me that last city XD
Pharley
+2
Level 75
Jun 2, 2022
Why does Riyadh need the "h" at the end to be accepted, but Jeddah doesn't?
EcceHomo
+2
Level 85
Jul 14, 2022
...good question.

Also: why does Isfahan need the H in it to be accepted, but Te(h)ran does not?

And Mashad is also accepted.

To Quizzer 6794, please do not take this as criticism or aggression, I'm just wondering if there is a reason. It's a great quiz.

HydratedMite
+1
Level 68
Mar 28, 2024
probably because tehran doesn't have a vowel after the h
Narwhal5913
+1
Level 37
Oct 18, 2022
Dang, I can never spell Riyadh right...
IkeLek
+1
Level 65
Dec 30, 2022
Some distinctions place Afghanistan as part of the Middle East. I would generally agree with this, however I know it is debatable. Still, I would include Afghanistan, or include a caveat clarifying.
HydratedMite
+1
Level 68
Mar 28, 2024
Then it'd make sense to include Pakistan and Turkmenistan, wouldn't it? Why is Afghanistan special?
Orcapizza194
+1
Level 20
Feb 3, 2023
Not too bad 12/15

Missed the last three by population though I had heard of ismir

Quizerboi
+1
Level 21
Feb 5, 2023
*Izmir
souzagustavo16
+1
Level 67
Oct 9, 2024
Nice quiz, never heard of Isfahan, my only miss

Well now I do :D

DenizYaman
+2
Level 58
Jan 29, 2025
İstanbul , İzmir and Ankara are not middle eastern cities
Quizmaster
+2
Level ∞
Mar 18, 2025
Cool.
Fianchetto
+4
Level 78
Mar 18, 2025
Sana'a is not lighting up
Quizmaster
+2
Level ∞
Mar 18, 2025
Fixed.
markasol
+5
Level 79
Mar 18, 2025
Istanbul is essentially a EUROPEAN city and always has been. OK, now there is overspill onto the Asiatic shore which means one can argue it is at least partially Middle Eastern too but you should only count the population of Istanbul that is actually in Asia, not Europe. In which case it would not make this list.
Snoflakes
+2
Level 73
Mar 18, 2025
There is something to be said for this. Even on Jetpunk Istanbul is usually counted as a European city, in the Biggest Cities in Europe quiz for example
Quizmaster
+4
Level ∞
Mar 18, 2025
Can you even imagine the whining that would happen if we removed Isntanbul?

Also, though sources are few, it appears that something like 35% of Istanbul's urban area population lies in Asia, which is more than sufficient to be included in this quiz

Xanalania
+1
Level 40
Mar 19, 2025
I would've never gotten those two cities in Iran without Google maps.
DonTheLamplighter
+1
Level 87
Mar 19, 2025
After Tehran, I just have a blind spot for Iranian cities. Gotta come up with a memory aid.
eurotec
+1
Level 56
Mar 19, 2025
Great quiz. Got them all!
manuelordonezf
+1
Level 71
Jun 11, 2025
I love this series of cities by region. Lets make a world one, featuring all the biggest cities for their respective regions.
unmessa
+1
Level 24
Nov 22, 2025
istanbul is not in the middle east
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