The best of the concrete jungles: National Geographic's cities photographer of the year

Cities can often be looked at negatively, full of unsightly buildings and coloured by smog.

However, they can also be dazzling, scenic sights that provide stunning backdrops good enough to be framed.

National Geographic has compiled a group of photos taken in cities across the globe – and the sights on display are jaw-dropping.

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From sprawling urban jungles to dazzling lights to incredible examples of modern architecture, each photo is vying to be crowned the cities photo of the year.

Here are just some of the entries in this year’s contest…