The World Has A New Largest City

The world has a caller astir populous city.

Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, tops a ranking that is progressively dominated by Asia. It edged retired Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, and Japan's Tokyo to gain nan title successful a new United Nations report.

With an estimated organization of astir 42 cardinal residents, Jakarta soared from 33rd spot successful nan erstwhile rankings, successful 2018, that were topped by Tokyo.

It's followed by Dhaka, pinch 36 million, which nan study says is "expected to go nan world’s largest metropolis by mid-century."

That's a motion of nan accelerated alteration underway crossed nan world, pinch nan emergence of densely populated megacities.

Nearly half of nan planet’s 8.2 cardinal group now unrecorded successful cities, according to nan "World Urbanization Prospects 2025" report, marking a twofold surge successful municipality dwellers complete nan past 75 years.

And 9 retired of nan 10 astir populated cities astir nan globe are located successful Asia.

The only objection is Egyptian superior Cairo, classed 7th pinch a organization of 25 cardinal people, more than double nan number that unrecorded successful New York City.

Morning commuters get disconnected a train astatine Manggarai railway position successful Jakarta, successful 2024.Garry Andrew Lotulung / Anadolu via Getty Images

The different cities making up nan apical 10 were New Delhi (30.2 million), Shanghai (29.6 million), Guangzhou (27.6 million), Manila (24.7 million), Kolkata (22.5 million), and Seoul (22.5 million).

“Urbanization is simply a defining unit of our time. When managed inclusively and strategically, it tin unlock transformative pathways for ambiance action, economical growth, and societal equity,” said Li Junhia, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.

In 1975, location were conscionable 8 megacities — defined arsenic those pinch a organization of astatine slightest 10 million. In 2025, that number has grown to 33, of which 19 are successful Asia. Los Angeles and New York City are nan only 2 megacities successful nan United States, nan study said.

“To execute balanced territorial development, countries must adopt integrated nationalist policies that align housing, onshore use, mobility, and nationalist services crossed municipality and agrarian areas,” Li said.

By 2050, location could beryllium much than 15,000 cities successful nan world, astir of which will person populations of little than 250,000.

The U.N. projections showed that Dhaka would apt beryllium nan world's astir populated metropolis pinch 52.1 cardinal residents by 2050, while Tokyo’s organization is group to driblet by 2.7 million, reflecting Japan’s aging and organization crisis.

Jakarta, prone to earthquakes and flooding, is overcrowded, polluted and quickly sinking.

In August 2019, then-Indonesian president Joko Widodo said that the country’s superior would move to Nusantara, located 1,200 miles distant successful Borneo, which has immoderate of nan world’s highest levels of biodiversity.

The move has nevertheless faced respective setbacks, including building delays, a deficiency of overseas investment, and managerial and onshore issues.