More than half of the world population lives in urban areas, and this percentage is expected to rise to 66% in 2050. And not necessarily by the existence of millions of cities, but because the cities that exist are getting bigger. A clear example is Spain, where over 70% of stocks are considered peoples, while most of the population lives in a city. According to the UN, in 2019 there were in the world a total of 28 ‘megacities’ totaling 453 million people. It is also expected that more than 40 cities with over 10 million inhabitants in 2030. Of the nearly thirty ‘megacities’ there at present, 16 are in Asia, four in Latin America, three in Africa, three in Europe and two in North America. Tokyo is the most populous city in the world, though its population is expected to fall, continue to hold the top spot for many years, while New Delhi is growing. Here is a list of the 10 most populated cities in the world 2025:
10. Osaka:18.9 million
Osaka, Japan With a population of about 18.9 million inhabitants is one of the most populous cities in the world. Decrease in 0.24% population has observed in 2025 as compared to last year. Main challenges facing Osaka is transportation. The train is the required medium, representing 31 percent of total trips; followed shipments walk (27 percent) and cycling (32 percent); while the mobilization cars represents only 26 percent and two percent buses. The issue of water is also a priority, despite the development of policies for their care, including pipes for recycling gray water and rain, an estimated seven percent of drinking water is lost through leakage.
09. Mumbai : 22.08 million
Mumbai is a city of 22.08 million people. It is also the most important port city of the Indian subcontinent. The demographics are changing and growing daily. Mumbai has grown by 415,900 individual in the last year 2024.
08. Beijing: 22.59 million
Beijing is one of the most populated cities in China, only surpassed by Shanghai in terms of population. Total population of Beijing is about 22.59 million. It is also a major transportation hub, as it has multiple railroads, highways and roads. It is now recognized as the cultural, political and social heart of China.
07. Mexico:22.75 million
Mexico estimated population is 22.75 million. There is 1.1% increase in population has observed from 2024.The Mexican capital is a celebration of contrasts where ancient and modern coexist in harmony. Here you can find an Aztec temple in the midst of very modern buildings and centers of Aztec heritage scattered throughout the city, museums, art galleries, monuments and archaeological sites to visit. Mexico City is the largest city in North America. The city was built by the Aztecs as a lake known as Tenochtitlan in 1325. The city was destroyed by the Spanish in 1521 and rebuilt in 1524 by the Spanish.
06. Sao Paulo:22.99 million
Sao Paulo, Brazil has increased its population with 0.8% from 2024. With 22.9 million registered peoples makes Sao Paulo most populous and one of the largest urban areas in the world .
05. Cairo: 23.07 million
Also known as the city of 1,000 minarets, is the most populated city in the Arab world and globally ranks 7th with over 23.7 million inhabitants.
04.Dhaka:23.9 million
Dhaka is dense city which is located in Bangladesh. The increase of population in Dhaka is about 2.92 % as compared with 2024. It is expected that in 2035 the population of Dhaka will be 31.2 million. International corporations and local thousand of business increase the population of Dhaka. Growth in population is problem in Dhaka to increase the poverty rate.
03. Shanghai:30.48 million
Third most populated city on the planet is Shanghai, China, with 30.48 million of people, a 2.06% increase from 2024. Shanghai is experiencing the rapid increase in population growth with addition of 700000 individual annually. Pudong is the area which contributing the highest population within Shanghai with 5.81 million residence.
02. New Delhi: 34.66 million
New Dehli is facing housing shortage, since in Delhi there is a big gap between demand and actual supply of this commodity, according to government data. In fact, experts estimate that between 1950 and 2050 water availability in India will fall from 5,177 cubic meters per person in 1140 due to the ever increasing population.
01. Tokyo: 37.1 million people
In 1965 Tokyo became the most populated city in the world and until now still is. In fact, the city center and its metropolis has 37.1 million inhabitants, above cities like Mexico and New York. Tokyo is the administrative capital of Japan. To some extent, its overcrowding concentrated because 10% of the total population of Japan. Tokyo is one of the main urban centers of the planet. It is the political and financial capital of Japan. Nevertheless, it is not a city with skyscrapers, as it is an area with a significant risk of earthquakes. The buildings are rarely more than 10 floors
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