The world's most rat-infested cities including destination in the UK
A study has ranked the world's most rat-infested cities and some places might be a surprise.
There are more than 60 species of rat around the world and the animal has arguably been one of the most successful at adapting to an urban environment.
Hated by many, rats' teeth never stop growing, they can survive falls from extreme heights and they are competent swimmers.
The average rat has around five litters per year and each litter can have up to 13 rats. Pretty scary stuff for anyone with a phobia of rats.
But where in the world are you most likely to run into a rat? A study by Topito found the cities with the most rats and a UK city is near the top.
Love or hate them, these are the world's rattiest cities.
10. Marseille, France
The rat pictured here might have fallen foul of a seagull but Marseille is still one of the world's rattiest cities. Marseille's rat population is thought to be around 1.5 million, about one and a half times its human population.
(Image: Getty)
9. Atlanta, USA
Atlanta is one of the USA's rattiest cities. It also has one of the highest cockroach sighting rates. A study in 2021 recorded 170 pest sightings per 100,000 residents.
(Image: Getty)
8. Johannesburg, South Africa
South Africa might be one of the world's best destinations for safari but tourists might also spot a less-welcome creature on the streets of Johannesburg. The city is one of the world's rattiest cities and residents have said some of the pests are so large they're known as 'super rats'.
(Image: Getty)
7. Guangzhou, China
China's rattiest city, Guangzhou has a large rodent population. In 2007, restaurant workers found an ingenious way to tackle the problem when they started including rats on their menu.
(Image: Getty)
6. Hamelin, Germany
Famed as the Pied Piper town, Hamelin unfortunately still has a real rat problem. In 2012, the rodents made a comeback and rats even gnawed through a cable in one of the town's fountains.
(Image: Getty)