Jakarta Tops Global Megacity List with 42 Million Residents

The most populated city in the world is now Jakarta, Indonesia, home to 42 million residents, according to a new study released by the United Nations.

The second position in the updated ranking is held by Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, with a population of 37 million. UN demographers project that Dhaka will become the world's largest city by 2050 as its rapid expansion continues.

In third place is Tokyo, with 33 million residents. Specialists anticipate that its population will decline by 2050 due to long-standing demographic trends.

UN Highlights Sharp Rise in Urban Populations

The study notes that the proportion of urban residents has more than doubled since 1950, when only 20 percent of the global population lived in cities. Today, urban dwellers represent 45 percent of the world's 8.2 billion people.

The report emphasizes that the UN used a new methodology to calculate city populations, applying clearer distinctions between urban, rural, and suburban territories. According to Patrick Gerland, head of population estimates at the UN, previous rankings depended heavily on national criteria, which often placed Tokyo at the top. The new system uses unified demographic and geospatial parameters.

"Urbanization remains a defining force of our era, and with responsible planning it can drive economic growth, reduce climate risks, and strengthen social fairness,” said Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.

Researchers found that since 1950, the number of urban residents has more than doubled. In 1950, cities held 2.5 billion people; today, nearly half of the planet's 8.2 billion inhabitants live in urbanized areas.

By 2050, two-thirds of global population growth is expected to occur in major cities, with the remainder in smaller towns and settlements. The number of megacities with more than 10 million residents has risen dramatically-from eight in 1975 to 33 in 2025.

Asia Now Dominates World's Largest Cities

Nine of the ten most populated cities are located in Asia: Jakarta, Dhaka, Tokyo, New Delhi, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Manila, Kolkata, and Seoul. The only non-Asian city in the top ten is Cairo, the capital of Egypt.

For comparison, according to publicly available data, the population of Moscow stands at 13.2 million, Saint Petersburg has 5.6 million residents, and Novosibirsk, Russia's third-largest city, is home to 1.6 million people.