Quick answer: By total floor area, the largest shopping mall in the world is Iran Mall in Tehran, at about 1.95 million square metres, followed by The Avenues in Kuwait and IOI City Mall in Malaysia. This ranking uses the figures in Wikipedia’s list of the largest shopping malls as checked in October 2026. Mall sizes are measured in different ways, so rankings vary between sources.
Shopping malls today are as much about leisure as about buying things, with cinemas, theme parks, hotels and food courts under one roof. Developers around the world have built ever-larger complexes, and several of the biggest are in Asia and the Middle East. Below are the ten largest, followed by what has happened to the malls that appeared in earlier versions of this article.
How mall size is measured
There is no single official ranking. Two measures are common:
- Total floor area: the whole built area of the mall, including corridors, car parks in some cases, and entertainment space.
- Gross leasable area (GLA): only the space that can be rented to shops and other tenants.
The list below follows the total floor area figures in Wikipedia’s “List of largest shopping malls”, which covers malls of at least 250,000 square metres. Developers’ own figures, GLA-based lists and older reports can put the same malls in a different order.
The 10 largest shopping malls in the world
| Rank | Mall | City, country | Opened | Total floor area | Shops (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iran Mall | Tehran, Iran | 2018 | 1,950,000 m² | 2,500+ |
| 2 | The Avenues | Al Rai, Kuwait | 2007 | 1,200,000 m² | 1,400+ |
| 3 | IOI City Mall | Putrajaya, Malaysia | 2014 | 821,000 m² | 650+ |
| 4 | Isfahan City Center | Isfahan, Iran | 2012 | 776,000 m² | 700+ |
| 5 | South China Mall | Dongguan, China | 2005 | 659,612 m² | 2,350 |
| 6 | SM Mall of Asia | Pasay, Philippines | 2006 | 589,891 m² | 3,500+ |
| 7 | SM City Tianjin | Tianjin, China | 2016 | 565,000 m² | 1,000+ |
| 8 | Golden Resources Mall | Beijing, China | 2004 | 557,419 m² | 750+ |
| 9 | Central WestGate | Nonthaburi, Thailand | 2015 | 550,278 m² | 500+ |
| 10 (joint) | CentralWorld | Bangkok, Thailand | 1989 | 550,000 m² | 600 |
Figures are as listed by Wikipedia in October 2026. Iraq Mall in Baghdad is listed as joint tenth with CentralWorld, also at 550,000 m²; it is a newer project, so check its current status.
1. Iran Mall, Tehran
Iran Mall, which opened in 2018, tops the list with about 1.95 million square metres of floor space and more than 2,500 shops, the most of any mall in the ranking.
2. The Avenues, Kuwait
The Avenues in Al Rai, Kuwait, opened in 2007 and has grown to about 1.2 million square metres with more than 1,400 shops.
3. IOI City Mall, Putrajaya
IOI City Mall in Putrajaya, Malaysia, opened in 2014 and covers about 821,000 square metres, with more than 650 shops.
4. Isfahan City Center, Isfahan
Isfahan City Center in Iran opened in 2012 and was expanded in a second phase in 2019. It covers about 776,000 square metres and includes what is described as the largest indoor amusement park in the Middle East. An earlier version of this article noted that the complex also includes a hotel and offices alongside the shopping zone.
5. South China Mall, Dongguan
The South China Mall (also called the New South China Mall) in Dongguan opened in 2005 with space for about 2,350 shops in some 659,612 square metres. For years it was better known for being nearly empty: until at least 2014, only about 10 per cent of its stores were reported to be occupied.
An earlier version of this article called it the largest mall in the world and said over 99 per cent of its space was unused. It is now fifth on this list, and the occupancy figure has been corrected to the reported level.
6. SM Mall of Asia, Pasay
SM Mall of Asia in Pasay, Metro Manila, opened in 2006. It is the largest mall in the Philippines on this list, with about 589,891 square metres and more than 3,500 shops.
7. SM City Tianjin, Tianjin
SM City Tianjin in northern China opened in 2016 and covers about 565,000 square metres, with more than 1,000 shops.
8. Golden Resources Mall, Beijing
The Golden Resources Mall in Beijing opened in 2004, when it was one of the biggest malls in the world. It covers about 557,419 square metres and has more than 750 shops.
9. Central WestGate, Nonthaburi
Central WestGate, on the outskirts of Bangkok in Nonthaburi province, opened in 2015 and covers about 550,278 square metres.
10. CentralWorld, Bangkok
CentralWorld on Rama I Road in Bangkok opened in 1989. The mall covers about 550,000 square metres with around 600 shops, and the whole complex, including two towers, is much larger. Its square is one of Bangkok’s best-known places to celebrate New Year’s Eve. For more to do in the city, see our guide to the best places to visit in Bangkok.
What happened to the malls in our earlier list?
Earlier versions of this article ranked malls using older figures. Here is where they stand in the October 2026 list:
- SM City North EDSA, Quezon City, Philippines: about 497,213 m² and 1,000+ shops, now 16th. It was the largest mall in the Philippines until an IKEA store opened at SM Mall of Asia in November 2021. The earlier version ranked it third.
- 1 Utama, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia: about 519,328 m² and 503 shops, now 14th. Built in phases in 1995, 2003 and 2018, it is described as Malaysia’s second-largest mall. The earlier version called it the fourth-largest in the world and Malaysia’s largest.
- Persian Gulf Complex, Shiraz, Iran: about 500,000 m² and 2,500+ shops, now 15th; it opened in 2011. The earlier version listed it as the “Fars Shopping Complex” in fifth place.
- Sunway Pyramid, Subang Jaya, Malaysia: about 400,000 m², joint 21st, and described as Malaysia’s third-largest mall.
- Mid Valley Megamall (Kuala Lumpur) and Istanbul Cevahir (Turkey): neither appears in the current list of malls of at least 250,000 m² that we checked, so their earlier rankings have been removed.
Other well-known giants include the Mall of America in Minnesota (about 520,257 m², 13th) and ICONSIAM in Bangkok (about 525,000 m², 12th). The Dubai Mall is listed at about 350,000 m², joint 30th.
Prefer street shopping? See our guides to Connaught Place in Delhi and Sarojini Nagar Market.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the largest shopping mall in the world?
By total floor area, Iran Mall in Tehran, at about 1.95 million square metres, according to Wikipedia’s list as checked in October 2026. Rankings based on leasable area or developers’ own figures can differ.
Is the South China Mall still the largest mall?
No. It was once often described as the largest, but several newer malls are bigger. It is fifth by total floor area in the October 2026 list.
Which country has the most malls in the top 10?
China, with three (South China Mall, SM City Tianjin and Golden Resources Mall). Iran and Thailand have two each. Asia and the Middle East dominate the list.
What is the largest mall in Malaysia?
IOI City Mall in Putrajaya, at about 821,000 m², is the largest Malaysian mall on the list.
Details checked in October 2026 against Wikipedia’s list of the largest shopping malls by total floor area. Mall sizes change with expansions, and different sources measure them differently.
