Jakarta (Indonesia) is now the world’s most populous city

According to the World Urbanization Prospects 2025: Summary of Results, cities now house 45% of the world’s 8.2 billion people, reflecting a dramatic shift toward urban living over the past seven decades.

Key Highlights

Rapid Urban Growth

• The global urban population has more than doubled since 1950, when only 20% of 2.5 billion people lived in cities.
• By 2050, two-thirds of population growth is expected to occur in cities, with the remaining third in towns.

Rise of Megacities

• The number of megacities (urban areas with 10 million or more residents) has increased from 8 in 1975 to 33 in 2025.
• 19 of these megacities are located in Asia.
• The world’s most populous cities in 2025:
  1. Jakarta, Indonesia – ~42 million
  2. Dhaka, Bangladesh – ~40 million
  3. Tokyo, Japan – 33 million
  • Cairo, Egypt is the only non-Asian city among the top ten.

Future Projections

• By 2050, the number of megacities is expected to reach 37.
• Emerging megacities include:
  • Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
  • Hajipur, India
  • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Small and Medium Cities Lead Growth

• Despite megacities’ prominence, small and medium-sized cities currently host more people than megacities.
• These cities are growing faster, particularly across Africa and Asia, indicating that urban expansion is widespread beyond the largest metropolitan hubs.

Source: UN