* Population of the city itself? This would be the most common way to measure size, but it can be tricky due to different definitions of "city limits."
* Population of the metropolitan area? This includes suburbs and surrounding areas, which can be more accurate for understanding the overall size of an urban center.
* Number of French speakers in the city? This would be a more specific measure, as some cities might have a large overall population but fewer native French speakers.
Here are some possibilities, depending on the criteria used:
Based on city population:
1. Paris, France: The largest city in France and a major international hub.
2. Montreal, Canada: The largest city in Quebec and a major cultural center.
3. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: While French is not the official language, it is widely spoken in the city.
4. Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire: The most populous city in Côte d'Ivoire and a major economic center.
5. Antananarivo, Madagascar: The capital city of Madagascar, where French is a significant language.
6. Dakar, Senegal: The capital and largest city in Senegal, with French as the official language.
7. Yaoundé, Cameroon: The capital city of Cameroon, where French is the official language.
8. Douala, Cameroon: The largest city in Cameroon, where French is widely spoken.
9. Luanda, Angola: While Portuguese is the official language, French is spoken by a significant minority due to historical ties.
10. Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo: The capital of the Republic of the Congo, where French is the official language.
Based on metropolitan area population:
1. Paris, France: The largest metropolitan area in Europe.
2. Montreal, Canada: The second-largest metropolitan area in Canada.
3. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: The largest metropolitan area in sub-Saharan Africa.
4. Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire: A major metropolitan area in West Africa.
5. Antananarivo, Madagascar: The capital of Madagascar with a significant metropolitan area.
6. Dakar, Senegal: The largest metropolitan area in Senegal.
7. Yaoundé, Cameroon: The capital of Cameroon with a growing metropolitan area.
8. Douala, Cameroon: The largest metropolitan area in Cameroon.
9. Luanda, Angola: A rapidly growing metropolitan area with a significant French-speaking population.
10. Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo: The capital of the Republic of the Congo with a significant metropolitan area.
Based on number of French speakers:
1. Paris, France: A large number of native French speakers.
2. Montreal, Canada: The city has a large French-speaking population.
3. Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: A significant number of French speakers, especially in the elite and educated classes.
4. Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire: A large number of French speakers, though some have shifted towards English in recent years.
5. Dakar, Senegal: A majority of the population speaks French.
6. Yaoundé, Cameroon: French is the official language and widely spoken.
7. Douala, Cameroon: French is widely spoken, although other languages are also prevalent.
8. Antananarivo, Madagascar: A sizable number of French speakers, particularly in the urban areas.
9. Luanda, Angola: French is spoken by a smaller percentage of the population compared to Portuguese.
10. Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo: French is the official language and spoken by a significant majority.
Ultimately, the specific ranking of these cities will depend on how "largest" is defined. However, the cities listed above are all major centers of French language and culture.