Photos: National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year 2017

This spectacular view of Frankfurt is the perfect example of the modern city at night. (Pic: Vitaly Pankratov)

[Yahoo News}- 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.

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:

There are only 2-3 times to capture this view of the tallest building – ICC Mal – in Hong Kong every year. (Pic: CP Lau)

Sea fog at the Kwai Chung Container Terminal in Hong Kong makes only the tops of buildings visible. (Pic: Edward Tin)

This all island in Greenland is home to just 1,200 people – and what lucky people they are to live somewhere this beautiful. (Pic: Rayann Elzein)

Taken from the highest residential building in Asia – the Zenith in Busan – the photographer had to hang over the edge to capture this incredible view. (Pic: Albert Dros)

This spectacular view of Frankfurt is the perfect example of the modern city at night. (Pic: Vitaly Pankratov)

Siena in Tuscany provides this filmic, sepia-toned shot that captures the morning sunlight. (Pic: Takeshi Ishizaki)

The new city in the desert in Muhafazat al Buraymi, Oman, shows the same design repeated across the entire area. (Pic: Andrzej Bochenski)

A New York sunset is captured from Queens across the East River, with the central building blocking out the light. (Pic: Lars Sivars)