This is a list of present-day cities by the time period over which they have been continuously inhabited as a city. The age claims listed are generally disputed. Differences in opinion can result from different definitions of "city" as well as "continuous habitation", and historical evidence is often disputed. Caveats (and sources) to the validity of each claim are discussed in the "Notes" column.
Africa
North and Northeast Africa Name Historical region Present location Continuouslyinhabited since Notes Girga (as Thinis) Ancient Egypt c. 3273 BC Settlement served as the capital of the first Pharaoh of Egypt, Narmer (c. 3273–2987 BC) Luxor (as Thebes) Ancient Egypt c. 3200 BC First established as capital of Upper Egypt, Thebes later became the religious capital of the nation until its decline in the Roman period. Faiyum (as Shedet) Ancient Egypt c. 2181 BC Settlement established by the Old Kingdom (c. 2686–2181 BC) Aswan (as Swenett) Ancient Egypt c. 650 BC Gained prominence in the Late Period (664–332 BC). Benghazi (as Euesperides) Cyrenaica c. 525 BC Founded in the 5th century BC, by the Greeks. Alexandria Ancient Egypt c. 332 BCFounded by Alexander the Great on the town of Rhacotis, which dates back to the Old KingdomJean-Daniel Stanley et al., "Alexandria, Egypt, before Alexander the Great: A multidisciplinary approach yields rich discoveries"; GSA Today 17 (8), August 2007; doi:10.1130/GSAT01708A.1.SuakinAncient Sudanc. 11th centuryFirst occupied in the 11th century, Suakin developed into a major Islamic port city, remaining inhabited through Ottoman, Funj, Mahdist, and colonial periods. Excavations confirm architectural and trade activity from the medieval period onward.
East Africa Name Historical region Present location Continuouslyinhabited since NotesAksumKingdom of Axumc. 400 BCAncient capital of the Kingdom of Axum.S.C. Munro-Hay, Excavations at Aksum (London: British Institute in Eastern Africa, 1989), pp. 12-25 Zeila (as Avalites)Bilad al-Barbarc. 100 ADMajor trading city in the Horn of Africa.Lee V. Cassanelli, The shaping of Somali society: reconstructing the history of a pastoral people, 1600–1900, (University of Pennsylvania Press: 1982), p. 75. Antananarivo Merina Kingdom 1610 AD or 1625 ADRoman Adrian Cybriwsky, Capital Cities around the World: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2013, p. 15 Founded by the Merina King Andrianjaka, it is the oldest city in Madagascar.
West Africa Name Historical region Present location Continuouslyinhabited since NotesGaoGao Empire, Songhai Empire c. 600 AD Gao-Saney called al-kawkaw, Gaw-Gaw by ancient Arab chroniclers is the first site of Gao, founded in the 7th century, it was the capital of the Gao Empire of Za Dynasty.Bethwell A. Ogot, Africa from the Sixteenth to the Eighteenth Century, (UNESCO Publishing, 2000), 303. A marble palace, stelae, houses and cemeteries dating from this period were discovered by archaeologists. The current Gao, built on a site near Gao-Saney, was the capital of the Songhai Empire (1464–1591), destroyed during the invasion of Songhai by the Saadians. It is today the regional capital of the Gao regions in Mali. Benin City Kingdom of Benin c. 1000 AD According to tradition, the original inhabitants and founders of the Edo Empire and the Edo people were ruled by the line of kings known as the Ogiso dynasty, who referred to the land as Igodomigodo. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Benin flourished economically due to its strategic position in the transatlantic trade network, exchanging goods such as pepper and ivory and slaves with European nations. It is currently the largest metropolis in Edo State and the fourth-most populous city in Nigeria. Agadez Songhai Empire 11th century AD Founded in the 11th century, Agadez was an important stop for caravans crossing the Saharan Desert for centuries. Agadez was captured by the Songhai empire in 1515, and controlled by Bornu in the 17th century. Kano Kingdom of Kano 11th century AD The foundation for the construction of Kano City Walls was laid by Sakri Gijimasu at some point between 1095 and 1134, and was completed in the middle of the 14th century during the reign of Usman Zamnagawa. Timbuktu Mali Empire, Songhai Empire 11th century AD Settled by Tuareg traders as an outpost, its incorporation into the Mali Empire and Songhai, Mande, and Soninke settlement from the 13th century rapidly developed the town.Saad, Elias. "Social history of Timbuktu: 1400–1900. The role of Muslim scholars and notables. (Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 1980) Cidade Velha (as Ribeira Grande) Santiago Island 1462 AD The first European settlement in West Africa. Lagos Kingdom of Benin 16th century AD Initially established as a war camp for soldiers from the Kingdom of Benin. Ouidah Kingdom of Whydah 16th century AD The primary port of the Kingdom of Whydah, originally called Glehue by the Fon inhabitants. The town was conquered by the Kingdom of Dahomey in the 18th century.Anderson, David and Rathbone, Richard. "Africa's Urban Past." Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000) pp. 85–87
Central Africa Name Historical region Present location Continuouslyinhabited since Notes M'banza-Kongo Kongo Empire c. 1390 AD Capital of the Kongo Empire, founded by the Kongo people in present-day Angola. Luanda (as São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda) Portuguese Empire 1576 AD Founded by Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais on 25 January 1576 as "São Paulo da Assumpção de Loanda".
Southern Africa Name Historical region Present location Continuouslyinhabited since Notes Cape Town Dutch East India Company 1652 AD Founded by Dutch colonists from Dutch East India Company and is the oldest recorded city in South Africa.
Americas
North America