This Asian city is now the world’s most populous

Jakarta has moved to the top of the global population chart, becoming the world’s largest urban area with 41.9 million residents. The update places Dhaka second and pushes Tokyo to third. India features prominently in the reshuffle, with New Delhi taking the fourth spot and Kolkata ranking ninth.

According to a report by World Urbanisation Prospects 2025: Summary of Results, released by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). The report marks a major shift in Asia’s demographic landscape, confirming that nine of the world’s ten largest cities are now in the region.

The UN report shows that Jakarta has overtaken Tokyo after decades of rapid expansion. Dhaka follows with 36.6 million residents, while Tokyo’s population stands at 33.4 million.


India continues to hold strong positions in the global urban hierarchy.
New Delhi is ranked fourth, making it the only South Asian megacity among the top four. Kolkata follows at ninth place, underscoring the country’s continued urban concentration.

The World’s Ten Largest Cities in 2025

The latest UN list places the cities as follows:

1. Jakarta
   
   
2. Dhaka
   
   
3. Tokyo
   
   
4. New Delhi
   
   
5. Shanghai
   
   
6. Guangzhou
   
   
7. Cairo
   
   
8. Manila
   
   
9. Kolkata
   
   
10. Seoul