Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, finally becomes the world’s largest city!

Photo: Muhammad Rizki (Unsplash)

Jakarta Becomes the World’s Largest City

According to recent United Nations data, Indonesia’s capital Jakarta has reached a population of approximately 42 million, overtaking Tokyo to become the world’s largest city. Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka follows in second place with 36.6 million people, while Tokyo ranks third with about 33 million. Asian cities dominate the top of the ranking.

This change in ranking is due to the United Nations revising how it calculates urban populations. Previously, Jakarta’s population count included only about 11 million people based on official city statistics. Under the new method, surrounding satellite cities such as Bogor are included, and Jakarta is now evaluated as a large metropolitan area.

The Reality Facing Jakarta

Jakarta is sometimes referred to as the “Big Durian.” As the nickname suggests, the city faces many challenges, including traffic congestion, air pollution, and land subsidence. In some areas, land subsidence can reach up to 20 centimeters per year.

Experts point out that these challenges also present opportunities to improve urban infrastructure and residents’ quality of life. Key issues include easing traffic congestion, improving connectivity with surrounding cities, and reducing housing costs.

Commuting is particularly difficult. Some suburban residents spend up to four hours commuting to the city center every day, making long-term commuting a heavy burden.

Efforts Toward Urban Improvement

The Jakarta city government is focusing on improving public transportation, which is used daily by 3.5 to 4 million people. Of next year’s budget of 4.9 billion US dollars, about 30% is planned for transportation and urban infrastructure development.

Jakarta’s challenges are shared by many rapidly growing Asian cities. About half of the world’s megacities (with populations over 10 million) are located in Asia, and Jakarta plays a particularly important role as a political and economic hub. Last year, Jakarta’s residents generated approximately 16.7% of Indonesia’s GDP.

What About Our Own Klang Valley Metropolitan Area Centered on Kuala Lumpur?

The population of central Kuala Lumpur is about 1.8 million, while the wider Klang Valley metropolitan area has around 8 million people. It falls just short of being classified as a megacity, but it remains an attractive urban region that balances livability and urban functionality.

Here too, improving public transportation and infrastructure is a key issue. As the city continues to grow, ongoing development is essential. Reducing traffic congestion and improving transportation convenience directly affect our daily lives. While promoting efficient urban management, we hope to see continued efforts to create a more comfortable and less stressful urban environment.

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