As of late 2025/2026, Jakarta, Indonesia, has emerged as the world's most populous city (megacity), with an estimated population of over 41.9 million, having recently surpassed Tokyo. While long-held data identified Tokyo as the largest, current projections indicate Jakarta holds the top spot, followed closely by Dhaka and Shanghai.
Jakarta (Indonesia) is now the world's most populous city, with nearly 42 million residents, followed by Dhaka (Bangladesh) with almost 40 million, and Tokyo (Japan) with 33 million.
THE BIGGEST CITIES In The World | Large metropolis with many buildings and millions of people.
What is the world's new largest city?
Indonesia's Jakarta now the world's largest city, Tokyo falls to third: UN. Nine of the top 10 mega-cities are in Asia, with Bangladesh's Dhaka projected to be the world's largest city by 2050.
1. London. The “Capital of Capitals” claims the throne atop the World's Best Cities ranking in 2026 for an incredible 11th consecutive year. It secures the top position in three of our 34 subcategories (the most of any city), and ranks 1, 2 and 3 in our Prosperity, Lovability and Livability indexes, respectively.
The center of the world (that is, of our expanding universe) could be anywhere. However, the Official Center of the World™, identified for the first time in history, has a specific location set by law. How did this come to pass? Why is Felicity, CA the Official Center of the World?
Leading hubs in the Global Cities Index—New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Singapore—have held their ground despite mounting global volatility. Stability amid geopolitical and economic fragmentation now depends increasingly on adaptability rather than legacy strengths. New contenders rising.
According to the Mid 2025 GCIM, New York is currently the world's most important city—followed by Washington, Beijing, London, Tokyo, Shanghai, Paris, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, the Northern Pearl River Delta (including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Dongguan), and Seoul.
Indonesia's capital, Jakarta ranks as the world's largest city in 2025 with nearly 42 million people, followed closely by Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Tokyo. China and India alone account for a significant share of the top 30 cities, including Shanghai, Guangzhou, New Delhi, and Mumbai.
Singapore is widely regarded as one of the most well-planned cities globally, often setting standards in urban planning and governance. Since its independence in 1965, the city-state has undergone a meticulous transformation into a global financial hub, a green metropolis, and a technological marvel.
The Prime Meridian (0° longitude), which divides East & West. Where these two lines meet — 0°, 0° — is known as the geographic center of the world. This spot falls in the Gulf of Guinea, about 380 miles south of Ghana. That makes Tema, Ghana, the closest land to the center of the Earth!
New York leads globally with approximately 384,500 millionaires, according to Henley u0026amp; Partners' 2025 report. Which city has the largest number of billionaires? The San Francisco Bay Area ranks first with 82 billionaires, surpassing New York.
Paris, France. It should come as no surprise that Paris is the most-visited city in the world. After all, the Eiffel Tower is one of those sites that everyone needs to see at least once. You can do so with fewer crowds if you plan a May or September trip.
