Jakarta Surpasses Tokyo as World's Most Populous City

Jakarta, Indonesia's bustling capital, has surpassed Tokyo to become the world's most populous city, with an estimated 42 million residents crammed into its metropolitan area, according to the United Nations' latest World Urbanization Prospects report released this year.

The report from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs marks a shift in global urban rankings, placing Dhaka, Bangladesh, in second with 37 million people and Tokyo in third at 33 million. Jakarta's ascent reflects rapid population growth in Asia, where nine of the top 10 megacities—urban areas with more than 10 million inhabitants—are now located. The number of such megacities worldwide has quadrupled to 33 since 1975, with 19 in Asia alone. Projections indicate that by 2050, the total will reach 37, including newcomers like Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania crossing the 10 million threshold.

Jakarta's population has surged by nearly 2 percent annually since 2000, driven by migration from rural areas seeking economic opportunities in the city's thriving service and manufacturing sectors. As Indonesia's economic powerhouse, it accounts for almost one-fifth of the nation's GDP,...