Bengaluru enters global top ten for highest population density, Says UN report

The latest UN World Urbanisation Prospects 2025 assessment places Bengaluru among the world’s most crowded cities, highlighting India’s growing urban pressure and the rapid rise of megacities across Asia.

Bengaluru has been listed among the world’s ten most densely populated cities in the latest edition of the United Nations’ World Urbanisation Prospects 2025: Summary of Results. The report marks a significant shift in global urban patterns, with Indian cities continuing to register some of the planet’s highest levels of population concentration.

According to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Bengaluru now exceeds a density of 20,000 people per square kilometre, positioning it alongside Mumbai, Surat and Ahmedabad in the global top ten. Mumbai tops the worldwide chart with nearly 30,000 people living within every square kilometre, making it the most crowded city among the 50 analysed.

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The findings form part of a broader study on the rise of megacities, urban areas with populations of 10 million or more. Their numbers have expanded dramatically, increasing from eight in 1975 to 33 in 2025. Asia now hosts 19 of these large urban centres. By 2050, the count is expected to touch 37, with cities including Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Hajipur and Kuala Lumpur projected to join the megacity category.

India remains a major contributor to this trend. Five of the 33 megacities identified for 2025, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru, are located in the country, edging past China’s four. Globally, Jakarta ranks as the most populous city with about 42 million residents, followed by Dhaka at 37 million and Tokyo at 33 million. New Delhi, with a population of 30 million, and Kolkata, at 22 million, also feature among the top ten. Cairo is the lone non-Asian entrant in this list.

The report notes that 45% of the world’s 8.2 billion people are now living in urban areas, intensifying the need for sustainable planning and infrastructure management. Its release aligns with the ongoing UN climate summit in Brazil, where nations are negotiating strategies to manage emissions and strengthen carbon sinks amid rising global population pressure.