Jakarta Surpasses Tokyo To Become The World's Largest City With 41.9 Million Residents

Jakarta has become the world's largest city with a population of 41.9 million, according to a recent United Nations report. This Indonesian city overtook Tokyo, which previously held the title since 2000. Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, follows closely with 36.6 million people. The UN's World Urbanization Prospects 2025 report also highlights that nine of the top ten megacities are in Asia.

Jakarta Surpasses Tokyo To Become The World's Largest City; India's These Cities in List

Asia dominates the list of the world's largest cities, with nine of the top ten megacities located on the continent. Among these are New Delhi, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Manila, Kolkata, and Seoul. Cairo is the only non-Asian city in the top ten, with a population of 32 million. Meanwhile, the largest city in the Americas is Sao Paulo, Brazil, which has 18.9 million residents, while Lagos in Nigeria is the biggest city in sub-Saharan Africa.

Dhaka's population growth stems from people moving from rural areas, seeking better opportunities or escaping climate-related issues like flooding. Jakarta faces similar challenges, with rising sea levels threatening to submerge parts of the city by 2050. In response, Indonesia's government is constructing a new capital, Nusantara, in East Kalimantan on Borneo island, yet Jakarta's population is expected to grow by another 10 million by 2050.

Tehran, Iran's capital, currently has nine million residents and is grappling with severe water shortages. The UN report noted that Tehran is close to running out of water, prompting water rationing measures. This new urbanization assessment has adopted revised criteria to address inconsistencies in urban definitions across countries, focusing on city sizes rather than merged urban areas.

Changes in Urban Definitions

The UN's updated definition of a city considers it a "contiguous agglomeration" with grid cells of one square kilometre, housing at least 1,500 inhabitants per square kilometre and a total population of at least 50,000. This change aims to create a more consistent understanding of urbanization across different regions. The number of megacities, defined as urban areas with over 10 million people, has surged to 33, compared to just eight in 1975.

Jakarta's growing population is dealing with issues like inequality and affordability. Earlier this year, many took to the streets to protest the harsh conditions faced by low-income workers, including app-based motorcycle ride-share and delivery riders. The situation highlights the challenges rapidly expanding cities face as they strive to support their inhabitants.

As urban areas expand, the UN's report indicates that Dhaka could become the world's largest city by 2050. This projection underscores the ongoing trend of urban growth in Asia, driven by both economic opportunities and environmental pressures.