Indonesia’s Jakarta Becomes World’s Largest City, Tokyo Drops to Third: UN

A recent United Nations report reveals that Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, has become the world’s largest city with a population of 41.9 million, followed by Dhaka, Bangladesh, with 36.6 million residents. Jakarta, situated in Java, quickly rose to first place, overtaking Tokyo, the former largest city according to the UN’s 2000 assessment. Tokyo now ranks third with a population of 33.4 million, following the rise of Dhaka, which jumped from ninth to second place and is expected to claim the top spot by 2050. The UN’s World Urbanization Prospects 2025 report notes a significant increase in the number of megacities, with 33 such urban areas globally, compared to just eight in 1975.