ISLAMABAD: Karachi is set to become one of the world’s 10 largest cities between 2025 and 2030 as its population continues to grow rapidly. Experts say this growth is likely to continue until the middle of the century.
According to the summary results of the World Urbanisation Prospects 2025 report released by the United Nations, Karachi could reach fifth place among the world’s biggest cities by 2050, with an estimated population of almost 33 million. This means Karachi may surpass cities like Cairo (32 million), Tokyo (31 million), Guangzhou in China (29 million), Manila in the Philippines (27 million), and Kolkata in India (24 million).
The report states that the number of megacities—urban areas with over 10 million people—has increased sharply, from eight in 1975 to 33 in 2025, with 19 of them in Asia. By 2050, the number of megacities is expected to rise to 37 worldwide.
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Dhaka, one of the world’s fastest-growing cities, is projected to become the largest city in the world by the middle of the century.
Meanwhile, Tokyo is expected to drop from third place in 2025 to seventh place in 2050, as its population declines to around 31 million.
The report also highlights that in 2025, many of the world’s most densely populated cities have more than 20,000 residents per square kilometre. Karachi is among them, with an estimated 25,000 people per square kilometre.
Globally, the rural population is expected to peak in the 2040s before gradually declining. India and China, the world’s most populous countries, will continue to have the largest number of people living in towns and smaller cities until 2050.
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From 2000 to 2025, the number of people living in cities increased by 1.25 billion, with more than half of this growth coming from just a few countries. India, China, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the United States together added over 500 million urban residents during this period.
The world has shifted significantly towards urban living. In 1950, only 20 per cent of the world’s 2.5 billion people lived in cities. By 2025, cities are home to 45 per cent of the global population of 8.2 billion—more than double the proportion in 1950.
The report also notes that rural areas are less densely populated than urban centres. It adds that more than 3,000 cities around the world experienced a population decline between 2015 and 2025.
