{"id":294253,"date":"2025-12-02T04:29:21","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T04:29:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/294253\/"},"modified":"2025-12-02T04:29:21","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T04:29:21","slug":"jakarta-becomes-the-worlds-most-populous-city-according-to-new-un-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/294253\/","title":{"rendered":"Jakarta Becomes the World\u2019s Most Populous City, According to New UN Data"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Jakarta<\/a>Jakarta, Indonesia. Image \u00a9 MarlonH via Shutterstock<\/p>\n

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https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1036544\/jakarta-becomes-the-worlds-most-populous-city-according-to-new-un-data<\/p>\n

Jakarta<\/a> has become the world’s most populous city, according to the World Urbanization Prospects 2025<\/a> released by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA)<\/a>. Using an updated and harmonized method for defining urban areas, the report estimates Jakarta<\/a>‘s population<\/a> at nearly 42 million, placing it ahead of Dhaka<\/a>, which is about 40 million, and Tokyo<\/a>, 33 million. The revised ranking illustrates how updated measurement criteria and continued demographic growth are reshaping understandings of urban scale in Asia<\/a> and globally.<\/p>\n

\"Jakarta<\/a>\"Jakarta<\/a>\"Jakarta<\/a>\"Jakarta<\/a>\"Jakarta<\/a><\/p>\n

\"JakartaJakarta, Indonesia. Image \u00a9 Fadil Aziz\/Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n

The 2025 edition introduces the Degree of Urbanization<\/a>, a geospatial approach that applies consistent population<\/a> and density thresholds to classify cities<\/a>, towns<\/a>, and rural areas<\/a>. This method replaces earlier versions of the report that relied on country-specific definitions, which varied widely. UN<\/a> DESA notes that the updated criteria produce a more comparable representation of urban areas across regions. Under this method, Tokyo<\/a> remains one of the world’s largest metropolitan regions but has shown a slight population<\/a> decrease, while Jakarta<\/a>‘s continuous urban area captures a broader and more densely populated extent than previously reported.<\/p>\n

\"JakartaJakarta, Indonesia. Image \u00a9 Airlangga Jati via Unsplash<\/a><\/p>\n

The report<\/a> finds that cities<\/a> are now home to 45% of the world’s 8.2 billion people, up from 20% in 1950. The number of urban residents has more than doubled since mid-century, and projections indicate that by 2050, two-thirds of global population<\/a> growth will occur in cities. The number of megacities<\/a>, urban areas with at least 10 million inhabitants, has reached 33 in 2025, more than half of which are located in Asia<\/a>. By 2050, this number is expected to rise to 37, with Addis Ababa<\/a>, Dar es Salaam<\/a>, Hajipur, and Kuala Lumpur<\/a> among those projected to exceed 10 million residents. At the same time, the report highlights that small and medium-sized cities continue to accommodate most of the world’s urban population and are experiencing the fastest growth, particularly in Africa<\/a> and Asia<\/a>. Of the more than 12,000 cities<\/a> examined, 96% have fewer than one million inhabitants, and the total number of cities worldwide has more than doubled since 1975.<\/p>\n

Related Article Indonesia Plans to Build Its New Capital from the Ground Up to Replace the Sinking City of Jakarta<\/a> \"JakartaJakarta, Indonesia. Image \u00a9 Abdi Rahman H. via Unsplash<\/a><\/p>\n

Jakarta<\/a>‘s position in the updated ranking reflects ongoing demographic pressures and long-standing infrastructural<\/a> challenges. The region faces issues related to density<\/a>, air quality, mobility, and land subsidence, with nearly 40% of the city located below sea level due to groundwater extraction, urban expansion, and rising sea levels. These conditions have informed national discussions on long-term planning and contributed to Indonesia’s decision to relocate its administrative capital<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"JakartaJakarta, Indonesia. Image \u00a9 AsiaTravel via Shutterstock<\/a><\/p>\n

In 2019, the Indonesian<\/a> parliament approved legislation to move the capital to Nusantara, a planned city on the island of Borneo<\/a> located about 1,300 kilometers from Jakarta<\/a>. The initiative aims to address structural constraints in the current capital and create a new administrative center designed with climate adaptation and renewable energy<\/a> in mind. Early planning for Nusantara outlines elevated buildings<\/a> and pedestrian-oriented layouts shaped by local terrain and environmental conditions, along with expanded public transportation<\/a>. While the project has encountered delays and has been the subject of environmental and logistical scrutiny, it represents one of the most extensive applications of “managed retreat,” a strategy involving the planned relocation of populations<\/a> away from areas facing long-term environmental<\/a> risks.<\/p>\n

News via the United Nations<\/a>.<\/p>\n