The global map of the largest cities is changing, and the usual leaders are gradually ceding their positions. New data from the UN shows that the center of demographic growth has shifted definitively to Asia, and the long-time ranking favorite no longer tops the list. This is reported by Visit Ukraine.
According to the World Urbanization Prospects 2025 report, by 2025, the most populous city on the planet will be Jakarta. The capital of Indonesia has surpassed Tokyo, which has held the top spot in the world for decades in terms of the number of residents.
The most populous cities in the world in 2025
According to the UN, the top 5 megacities on the planet are:
- Jakarta (Indonesia) — about 42 million residents
- Dhaka (Bangladesh) — approximately 37 million people
- Tokyo (Japan) — around 33 million inhabitants
- Delhi (India) — over 32 million people
- Shanghai (China) — nearly 30 million residents.
For Tokyo, falling to third place is significant. The city is experiencing a faster decline in population than its growth. Key reasons include an aging society, low birth rates, and outflow of residents to other regions of Japan. According to UN forecasts, by 2050, the megacity's population could decrease to 30 million people.
How the map of megacities is changing
The number of cities with populations over 10 million continues to grow. In 2025, there will be 33 such megacities in the world, compared to just eight in 1975. The highest concentration of megacities is observed in Asia — 19 out of the 33 largest urban agglomerations are located here.
According to UN estimates, by 2050, the number of megacities in the world will increase to 37. The main urban population growth is concentrated in several countries — India, China, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the USA, which together have added over 500 million residents over the past 25 years.
It should be noted that the capital of Japan Tokyo ranked first in the ranking of the 300 richest cities in the world.