The city with the largest population on the planet has been identified

Jakarta has become the new "king" of megacities: the Indonesian capital has surpassed Tokyo in population. This is reported by The Guardian with reference to a new report by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, according to TUT.AZ.

According to the latest data from the international organization, about 42 million people currently live in Jakarta. The silver medalist in the ranking is the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, with a population of 37 million, and the bronze goes to the Japanese megacity of Tokyo, where 33 million residents live.

The UN has revised its methodology for counting urban populations to more accurately reflect the rapid urbanization that is contributing to the unprecedented growth of megacities around the world.

According to the published report, the vast majority - nine out of the ten most densely populated cities on the planet - are located in Asia. This elite club includes: Jakarta, Dhaka, Tokyo, New Delhi, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Cairo, Manila, Kolkata, and Seoul.

The document also notes the impressive growth in the number of megacities - cities with a population of over 10 million people. Their number increased from 8 in 1975 to 33 in 2025. Experts predict that by 2050, large cities will account for two-thirds of global population growth, while the remaining portion will be absorbed by smaller urban centers.