Dhaka rises to second most populous city globally, Jakarta tops list

Dhaka has become the world’s second most populous city with a population of 36.6 million, according to the United Nations’ World Urbanization Prospects 2025 report.

Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, with 41.9 million people, now ranks first.

Among the other cities, Japan’s capital Tokyo, which held the top position for the past two decades, has slipped to third with 33.4 million residents.

The UN attributes the rise of Asian megacities to rapid urbanization, climate change impacts and increased migration. The report indicates that if current trends continue, Dhaka could become the world’s largest city by 2050.

Globally, the number of megacities with populations above 10 million has reached 33, four times higher than in 1975. Asia hosts 19 of these and now dominates the global list, holding nine of the top 10 positions. Cities such as New Delhi, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Manila, Kolkata and Seoul all rank among the world’s most populous.

Outside Asia, Cairo, with a population of 32 million, is the only city to make it into the top ten. São Paulo remains the largest city in the Americas, while Lagos continues to grow fastest in sub-Saharan Africa.

To ensure uniform comparisons across countries, the UN has adopted a new definition of urban areas: a minimum population of 50,000 and at least 1,500 people per square kilometre in density.