Overview
- The 2025 UN assessment estimates Jakarta's urban centre at about 41.9–42 million residents under the new methodology.
- Dhaka places second with roughly 36.6–37 million and is projected to become the largest city by 2050 at about 52.1 million.
- Tokyo stands third at about 33 million, with further decline expected given Japan's aging and shrinking population.
- The number of megacities has grown to 33 from eight in 1975, with 19 in Asia and nine of the 10 largest located there, leaving Cairo as the lone non-Asian entry.
- Jakarta’s scale spotlights severe strains such as flooding, pollution and congestion, while Indonesia’s planned capital move to Nusantara is delayed and short of investment.