These Cities Have the Most Surveillance Cameras in The World
A new report has revealed the most surveilled cities on Earth, based on the number of CCTV cameras — and a U.S. city tops the list.
In the study conducted by NeoMam Studios, researchers looked at government-controlled or government-accessible surveillance cameras in major cities worldwide, calculating how many cameras exist per 1,000 residents and per square kilometer (km²). According to the report, Washington, D.C., tops the list of the most surveilled cities on Earth.
Researchers identified the cities with the highest number of government-linked CCTV cameras, by gathering local reports of camera counts in capitals and major cities, including only government or government-accessible cameras and excluding private cameras. Population and city area were then used to calculate camera density.
NeoMam Studios’ report found that in Washington, D.C., there are 44 government-accessible surveillance cameras per 1,000 people, the highest of any major global city. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has the most cameras per square kilometer, with 800 cameras/km². Stockholm, Sweden, is the most surveilled European city, with 22.4 cameras per 1,000 residents or 117 cameras/km². Two South Korean cities appear in the top 20 rankings: Daegu with 20.3 cameras and Seoul with 17.6 per 1,000 residents. In South America, Guayaquil, Ecuador, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, ranked in the top 20 for government-monitored CCTV density, with 99 and 73 cameras/km², respectively.
The report found that Washington, D.C., has more cameras per person than any other major city in the world. While Moscow in Russia ranks among the top five with 19.2 cameras per 1,000 people, D.C. leads with 44 cameras per 1,000 residents. According to NeoMan Studios, the city’s mayor has budgeted millions to expand the network, including $13 million to triple the number of cameras and $322,000 to encourage businesses to share their private security feeds.
Another key finding is that Dubai has nearly three times as many cameras per square kilometer as any other city. D.C. has 171 cameras per km² — higher than Singapore, Doha, or Moscow — but Dubai’s density reaches 800 cameras/km², followed by Seoul with 281 cameras/km².
To conduct the study, NeoMam Studios examined the capitals and largest cities of every country, adding up to three additional major cities where relevant. Researchers collected data from local sources in the native language, focusing on cameras controlled by or accessible to the government, while excluding private-only cameras. Where total counts weren’t available, they combined numbers reported by police, transit authorities, and city agencies. The latest population and city area figures were then used to calculate camera density per 1,000 residents and per km². Some cities were not included due to a lack of reliable data, either because of limited transparency or minimal CCTV presence.
The full report can be read here.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos and center images by NeoMam Studios.
