Most towns remained far smaller places, so that in 1500 only some two dozen places in the world contained more than 100,000 inhabitants: as late as 1700 there were fewer than forty, a figure which would rise thereafter to 300 in 1900.
Most towns remained far smaller places. That in 1500 only some two dozen places in the world contained more than 100,000 inhabitants. There were fewer than forty. This was as late as 1700. Forty was a figure. This figure would rise thereafter to 300 in 1900.