Jakarta Overtakes Tokyo as World's Most Populated City: UN Report 2025

The global urban landscape has witnessed a monumental shift in 2025. For decades, Tokyo, Japan, held the undisputed title of the world's most populous city, a sprawling metropolis synonymous with density and scale. However, according to the newly released "World Urbanization Prospects 2025" report by the United Nations, the crown has passed to Southeast Asia. Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, has officially topped the list with an estimated population of 42 million residents, relegating Tokyo to third place.

This change marks a significant turning point in global demographics, highlighting the explosive growth of urbanization in developing nations and the stagnation of population figures in developed economies.

The New Global Rankings

The UN report paints a vivid picture of a world that is becoming increasingly urbanized. The updated rankings for the world's most populated cities are as follows:

1. Jakarta, Indonesia: 42 million

2. Dhaka, Bangladesh: 37 million

3. Tokyo, Japan: 33 million

4. New Delhi, India: 30.2 million

5. Shanghai, China: 29.6 million

Tokyo, which had maintained its lead for nearly a generation, has seen its population numbers dip to approximately 33 million. This decline is attributed to Japan's well-documented demographic challenges, including an aging population and a low birth rate, which have finally begun to shrink the footprint of its massive capital region. Conversely, Dhaka has surged into the second spot, driven by rapid rural-to-urban migration and a young, growing workforce.

Why the Sudden Shift? A Change in Methodology

While Jakarta’s growth is undeniable, the dramatic reshuffling of the leaderboard is also a result of a change in how the United Nations defines and measures "cities." In previous years, inconsistent definitions of what constituted a city, town, or rural area across different countries made international comparisons difficult. Some nations counted only the population within administrative city limits ("city proper"), while others included the entire metropolitan area.

For the 2025 report, UN officials applied a new, standardized methodology that focuses on "urban agglomerations." This approach delimits urban areas based on functional links—such as commuting patterns and economic activity—rather than just political boundaries. This "internationally comparable delimitation" captures the true scale of sprawling urban regions like Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek), which includes satellite cities like Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi. Under these new geospatial and population criteria, Jakarta's massive, interconnected urban fabric was fully recognized, propelling it past Tokyo.

The Asian Century of Urbanization

The 2025 report underscores the sheer dominance of Asia in the narrative of modern urbanization. Nine out of the top ten most populated cities are located in Asia, with Cairo, Egypt, being the sole outlier from Africa. Cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, Manila, Kolkata, and Seoul complete the list of top megacities, reflecting the continent's rapid economic development and population dynamics.

The report highlights that the number of "megacities"—urban areas with at least 10 million inhabitants—has quadrupled over the last half-century. In 1975, there were only eight such cities globally; today, there are 33. By 2050, this number is expected to rise further, with cities like Hyderabad (India) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) poised to join the club.

Li Junhia, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, termed urbanization as a "defining force of our time." He emphasized that while this growth presents economic opportunities, it must be managed strategically to ensure social equity and climate resilience.

Jakarta’s Growth: A Double-Edged Sword

While claiming the title of the world's largest city is a testament to Jakarta's economic vitality, it also shines a spotlight on the severe challenges facing the Indonesian capital. The city is notorious for its traffic congestion, air pollution, and infrastructure strain.

More critically, Jakarta is sinking. Excessive groundwater extraction combined with rising sea levels has made it one of the fastest-sinking cities in the world, with some northern areas submerging at an alarming rate. These environmental pressures have pushed the Indonesian government to initiate the construction of a new capital city, Nusantara, on the island of Borneo. However, even as administrative functions move, Jakarta remains the economic heartbeat of the nation, and its population growth shows no immediate signs of reversing.

The Future of Urban Living

The 2025 UN report reveals that today, nearly half of the global population of 8.2 billion lives in urban areas. By 2050, this figure is projected to grow, with two-thirds of all humans expected to be city dwellers. The explosive growth of cities like Jakarta and Dhaka serves as both a case study in economic potential and a warning about the urgent need for sustainable urban planning.

As Tokyo grapples with a shrinking demographic future, Jakarta's rise signals a new era where the centers of gravity for human population are firmly rooting themselves in the Global South. The challenge for these new megacities will be to convert their massive population numbers into a high quality of life for their millions of residents.