A List of Cities in the World that Start with the Letter: A
How many cities in the world are there that start with the letter A?
The answer to this question depends on who you ask, or which data you lean on. Countries across the world recognize cities differently, but the most common population definitions for an urban area (city or town) range between 1,500 and 50,000 people. While in the United Kingdom, for example, city status is awarded by the Crown and then remains permanent, independent of population size.
Our database contains 8,795 distinct population centers, that start with the letter A, which are defined as cities or towns by their jurisdiction.
How are cities formed?
Historically, cities have grown from smaller settlements that appear near resource rich, trade-opportunistic, and naturally defensible positions. As such, locations are naturally attractive to people in search of a better life.
These areas then amass enough people to become cities according to the defined limits of the land or is simply designated as cities by their governing authority, as is customary in some parts of the world.
When were the first cities formed?
According to canonical history, the first cities appeared during the Neolithic Period. A time when the first development of agricultural techniques saw the light of day. These technological developments could assure a surplus of crop yields large enough to sustain a permanent population. Thus, it allowed people to give up their nomadic lifestyle as hunters and gatherers in exchange for a settled life.
The first cities emerged around 7500 B.C. near the Nile valley, the Indus valley, and the Wei River valley, along with their discovery and perfection of agricultural technology.
Which are the oldest cities in the world?
According to historical records and clues unearthed from geological discoveries suggest that some of the oldest cities in the world include the following:
- Jerico, West Bank - 11000 years old
- Damascus, Syria - 11000 years old
- Aleppo, Syria - 8000 years old
- Byblos, Lebanon - 7000 years old
- Argos, Greece - 7000 years old
- Athens, Greece - 7000 years old
- Susa, Iran - 6300 years old
- Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan โ 6,000 years old
- Sidon, Lebanon โ 6,000 years old
- Plovdiv, Bulgaria - 6000 years old
- Jerusalem, Israel - 5000 years old
- Varanasi, India - 3000 years old