Jakarta Becomes the World's Biggest City, Overtaking TokyoA. Major Shift in Global Cities

Jakarta Becomes the World's Biggest City, Overtaking TokyoA. Major Shift in Global Cities

Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta, is now officially the world's most populated city, according to the United Nations' latest World Urbanization Prospects 2025 report. With nearly 42 million residents, Jakarta has overtaken Japan's Tokyo, which has dropped to third place with 33.4 million people. This is a huge jump for Jakarta—it was ranked 33rd in 2018. This change shows how quickly cities are growing, especially in Asia.

Cities Are Growing Fast Everywhere

The UN report shows that today, 45% of the world's 8.2 billion people—about 3.7 billion—live in cities. Back in 1950, only 20% lived in cities. "Megacities" (cities with over 10 million people) have increased four times since 1975—there are now 33 of them. Asia has 19 megacities and holds nine of the top 10 spots on the list.

Dhaka, Bangladesh, is now the second-largest city with 36.6 million people, and it's expected to overtake Jakarta by 2050 with a predicted 52.1 million residents. Other huge cities include 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).

India's Urban Growth

India has two cities in the top 10: New Delhi at fourth place and Kolkata at eighth. This shows how quickly India's cities are growing as people move from rural areas looking for jobs and opportunities. Meanwhile, Tokyo's drop in ranking reflects Japan's aging population and slower growth.

Big Problems Come with Big Cities

Being the biggest city isn't all good news. Jakarta is dealing with serious problems like sinking land, flooding, and terrible overcrowding. It's so bad that Indonesia is moving its capital to a new city called Nusantara in Borneo by 2045. Dhaka struggles with slums and pollution. Delhi has dangerous air quality. The UN predicts that by 2050, there will be 37 megacities, but most new city residents will actually move to smaller towns, especially in Africa and Asia.

What Needs to Happen

UN official Li Junhua says urbanization is a "defining force" of our time and urges governments to plan carefully. Cities need fair housing, green spaces, and jobs. If handled poorly, rapid city growth could increase inequality and make climate disasters worse. But if done right, these huge cities could drive innovation and create prosperity. As cities continue to grow, the world needs to build not just taller buildings, but smarter cities.