New
New
Year 8

Global cities and megacities

I can explain how some cities have a global influence.

New
New
Year 8

Global cities and megacities

I can explain how some cities have a global influence.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Global cities influence business, banking and culture around the world.
  2. Not all megacities (10 million or more) are global cities and vice versa.
  3. Global cities are hubs for international travel.
  4. Global cities are diverse and multicultural.
  5. The influence of different cities changes over time.

Keywords

  • Megacity - a city with a population of over 10 million people

  • Global city - a city that has a major international influence, for example, on trade and travel, culture and politics (ideas)

  • Multicultural - including people with different cultures and beliefs and reflecting this diversity in a place’s food, fashion, architecture, etc.

Common misconception

All megacities are global cities because they are so big.

Not all megacities are global cities. While megacities have populations of over 10 million, global cities are defined by their international influence in areas such as finance, culture, politics, and transport.


To help you plan your year 8 geography lesson on: Global cities and megacities, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Use well-known examples (e.g. New York, London, Lagos, Tokyo) to help students distinguish between global cities and megacities. Visuals such as maps or global company headquarters can support understanding of influence beyond just size.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is meant by ‘quality of life’ in a city?

The number of houses in the area
The speed of buses and trains
Correct answer: How safe, happy and healthy people feel
The type of food sold in the market

Q2.
Cities usually have higher population density than rural areas. What does this mean?

Cities have more green spaces
Correct answer: More people live close together
Fewer people live close together
Everyone owns a car

Q3.
Many people move to cities looking for better opportunities.

Correct Answer: job, work

Q4.
Which of these is an example of informal housing?

Correct answer: A self-built shack without planning permission
A newly built apartment block
A government-owned house
A house with a large garden

Q5.
What might attract someone to live in a city?

Fewer schools and clinics
Quiet surroundings
Low air pollution
Correct answer: Better access to jobs and services

Q6.
Which of these best describes an urban area?

Countryside and farmland
Correct answer: A town or city with roads, houses and shops
Forest and river
Mountains and valleys

Assessment exit quiz

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5 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions:

Correct Answer:Megacity,A city with a population of over 10 million people

A city with a population of over 10 million people

Correct Answer:Global city,A city that has major international influence on trade, culture or pol

A city that has major international influence on trade, culture or pol

Correct Answer:Multicultural,A place that includes and reflects many different cultures and beliefs

A place that includes and reflects many different cultures and beliefs

Q2.
What is the population threshold for a city to be called a megacity?

Over 5 million
Over 1 million
Correct answer: Over 10 million
Over 100 million

Q3.
Which of these best describes a global city?

Correct answer: A city with international influence on culture and economy
A city with lots of tourists
A city that has over 10 million people
A city with many parks

Q4.
A city has a major influence around the world, in areas like finance and politics.

Correct Answer: global

Q5.
A student says, “All megacities are also global cities because they are so big.” What’s a better understanding?

All megacities are global cities because of their population
Correct answer: Some megacities are global cities, but not all
Global cities are always smaller than megacities
There’s no difference between them