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Jakarta Overtakes Tokyo as World’s Largest City in UN Report

Source: Indonesia’s Jakarta now the world’s largest city, Tokyo falls to third: UN (2025-11-26)

A groundbreaking United Nations report has officially crowned Jakarta, Indonesia, as the world’s largest city, surpassing Tokyo with a population of 41.9 million residents. This shift marks a significant milestone in global urban demographics, highlighting the rapid growth of Asian megacities. Jakarta’s rise from second place to the top spot underscores the ongoing urbanization trends in Southeast Asia, driven by economic development, rural-to-urban migration, and demographic shifts. Meanwhile, Tokyo’s population has stabilized at around 33.4 million, reflecting Japan’s aging population and low birth rates. The report also projects that by 2050, Dhaka, Bangladesh, will become the world’s largest city, with an estimated population of over 50 million, emphasizing the continued demographic shift toward densely populated Asian cities. Recent facts expanding on this trend include: 1. **Urban Growth Acceleration**: Over the past decade, Jakarta’s population has grown by approximately 2.5% annually, fueled by rural migration and economic opportunities in manufacturing and services sectors. 2. **Infrastructure Challenges**: Jakarta faces significant infrastructure challenges, including traffic congestion, flooding, and pollution, which are exacerbated by its rapid growth. 3. **Smart City Initiatives**: Indonesia is investing heavily in smart city projects to improve urban management, including flood control systems, public transportation upgrades, and digital governance platforms. 4. **Climate Impact**: As a low-lying coastal city, Jakarta is highly vulnerable to climate change, with rising sea levels threatening its future sustainability and prompting urgent adaptation measures. 5. **Global Urbanization Trends**: The UN report indicates that 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050, with Asia accounting for nearly 60% of this growth, emphasizing the continent’s central role in future demographic shifts. 6. **Economic Implications**: The rise of Jakarta as a megacity is expected to boost Indonesia’s economy, making it the largest economy in Southeast Asia by 2030, with a focus on digital economy, manufacturing, and tourism. 7. **Migration Patterns**: Internally, Indonesia’s population is increasingly concentrated in Jakarta and surrounding urban centers, driven by job opportunities and better living standards, which further accelerates urban growth. 8. **Urban Planning Efforts**: The Indonesian government has launched ambitious urban planning initiatives aimed at decentralizing growth and developing secondary cities to reduce pressure on Jakarta. 9. **Global Megacity Rankings**: Besides Jakarta and Dhaka, other top megacities include Mumbai, Manila, and Seoul, with all experiencing varying degrees of growth and infrastructural challenges. 10. **Future Projections**: Experts predict that by 2030, Asia will host over 70% of the world’s megacities, with urban populations continuing to surge due to ongoing economic development and demographic trends. This demographic shift underscores the importance of sustainable urban planning, infrastructure resilience, and climate adaptation strategies to support the burgeoning populations of these global cities. As Jakarta takes its place at the top, policymakers worldwide are urged to prioritize smart, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable urban development to ensure these cities can thrive amid rapid growth.

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