In this article, we will look at the 15 most populated cities in Asia. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis of the Asian continent, you can go directly to the 5 Most Populated Cities in Asia.
Asia’s Population in the Broader Context of World Population
The world’s total population has increased three-fold since the middle of the 20th century, and the Asian continent has played a major role in this population increase. The Asia and the Pacific region houses around 60% of the world’s population, which comes up to around 4.3 billion individuals. Asia has some of the most populated countries in the world, namely India and China. According to data by the World Bank, India has a population of 1.417 billion people as of 2022. Meanwhile, World Bank statistics report that China has a population of 1.41 billion as of 2022. At the same time, Asia also has some of the smallest populations in the world, including several small islands in the Pacific. According to a report by the United Nations World Population Fund – Asia Pacific Region, the Asian continent has this diversity in population because of rapid urbanization, rapidly altering demographic trends, increase in overall lifespan, and lower mortality rates throughout the region.
Although Africa is the continent with the fastest increasing population, India and China in Asia alone account for around 18% of the world’s population. That is what makes Asia the most populated continent in the world, according to estimates by the National Geographic Society. It occupies approximately 30% of the world’s total area, yet it has about 60% of the world’s population.
Trends in Population Increase in Asia
According to estimates by the World Economic Outlook 2023 by the International Monetary Fund, the population of Asia and the Pacific is expected to increase in the coming years. It stood at 4.37 billion in 2020, and is expected to rise to 4.44 billion in 2024. The numbers are expected to increase to 4.55 billion by 2028. However, the population growth of East Asia and the Pacific region has been slowing down since 1971, according to data from the World Bank. The region had a 2.7% annual population growth rate in 1971, which reduced to 1.5% per annum in 1981, after ten years. The annual growth rate further dropped to 1.4% in 1991. It then fell to 0.9% in 2001, and 0.7% in 2011. The region’s annual growth rate has dropped by 0.1% every year since 2017. It went from 0.7% in 2017 to 0.2% in 2022.
These statistics are because of the decreasing population growth rates in several Asian countries. China’s population, for example, has become stagnant, with a population growth rate of 0.00% as of 2022. Some Asian countries with a negative population growth rate, which indicates an annual population decrease, include South Korea and Japan. Estimates by the World Bank report a -0.2% yearly population growth rate. On February 28, The Guardian published a report saying that the country had broken its own record for the lowest birth rate. The average number of births per woman in South Korea dropped to 0.72 in 2022 from 0.78 in 2021. Japan reported a similar decrease in the number of births per year and the number of marriages since World War II.
However, these statistics do not represent the population trends of Asia as a whole. Several Asian countries have positive annual population growth rates, including Cambodia, Mongolia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Cambodia had an annual population growth rate of 1.1%, while Mongolia and Singapore had growth rates of 1.5% and 1.1%, respectively, in 2022. However, Singapore took the lead with an annual population growth rate of 3.3%, the highest in East Asia and the Pacific region. You can also look at 20 Most Populated Countries in Asia to gain perspective.
Key Players in the Asian Economy
Although the annual GDP growth in East Asia and the Pacific region dropped to -0.1 % in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the region has bounced back since then. According to estimates by the World Bank, the region’s annual GDP growth increased to 6.2% in 2021. According to data by the International Monetary Fund, the GDP of the Asia and Pacific region is projected to grow by 4.1% in 2024. Its current GDP amounts to $39.02 trillion as of 2024, and its GDP per capita is $8,780. Several Asian companies are the driving force behind these economic trends, some of which include Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd. (OTC:SSNLF), Saudi Arabian Oil Co. (TADAWUL:2222), and Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA).
Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd. (OTC:SSNLF) is one of the biggest mobile manufacturer in the world. Centered in South Korea, the company accounts for 20% of the South Korean GDP, according to a report by the Korea Times. On March 18, the company released a report marking its tenth year as a “leader in the global soundbar market”, from 2014 to 2023. This position was determined by the annual report by FutureSource Consulting released on February 28. Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd. (OTC:SSNLF) had a 20.3% market share in the industry’s total sales volume in 2023. It also increased the industry’s sales volume by 18.8% in the same year.
Despite its global operations, Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd. (OTC:SSNLF) prioritizes environmental conservation. On March 22, the company released a report showing that 44,000 Samsung employees, local residents, NGOs, and local governments joined hands to take part in varying water conservation activities. These activities took place across 22 work locations across the globe, and were conducted to celebrate World Water Day.
Another company driving the Asian economy is Saudi Arabian Oil Co (TADAWUL:2222), also known as Saudi Aramco (TADAWUL:2222). Headquartered in Dhahran, Saudi Arabian Oil Co (TADAWUL:2222) is a state-owned natural gas and petroleum company located in Saudi Arabia. It is also the national oil company of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It reported a $161 billion profit in FY2022, which ranked it among the world’s highest profit-bearing publicly traded companies. Forbes’ Global 2000 ranks Saudi Arabian Oil Co (TADAWUL:2222) as the second largest public company in the world, right after JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), which has the first spot. Saudi Arabian Oil Co (TADAWUL:2222) reported $589.47 billion in sales in 2023, and $156.36 billion in profit. The company has assets worth $660.99 billion.
Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) ranks among the largest retail companies in China, and it is one of the most prominent players in the Asian economy. On March 26, the company announced its plans to acquire the remaining stake in Chinese logistics company Cainiao, in which it already owns a 64% stake. Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) offered $3.75 billion to acquire the remaining 36% stock of Cainiao as a part of its restructuring plan.
Now that we have looked into Asia’s population and economy, let’s look at the 15 most populated cities in Asia. You can also look at 20 Fastest Growing Economies in Asia in 2024 and 25 Most Visited Places In Asia And Pacific Ocean.
Photo by David Veksler on Unsplash
Our Methodology
To compile a list of the 15 most populated cities in Asia, we have taken population as the primary and sole metric. The data has been taken from the Built-up Area by Urban Population Density report by Demographia. The report provides the population estimate, built-up land area in sq. miles and sq. kilometers, and the population density per sq. mile and per sq. kilometer. We also included the Middle East in this list. The latest data is available from 2023. The 15 most populated cities in Asia are arranged in ascending order of their population estimates as of 2023.
15 Most Populated Cities in Asia
15. Bangalore, India
Population as of 2023: 15,257,000 people
The Indian city of Bangalore ranks 15th on our list of the 15 most populated cities in Asia. It has a population of 15,257,000 people, and a population density of 22,670 people per sq. mile, or 8,753 people per sq. kilometer.
14. Shenzhen, China
Population as of 2023: 17,778,000 people
Shenzhen is China’s fourth most populated city, and ranks 14th on our list of the 15 most populated cities in Asia. It has a population of 17,778,000 people, and a population density of 25,470 people per sq. mile, or 9,834 people per sq. kilometer.
13. Beijing, China
Population as of 2023: 18,883,000 people
Beijing is the capital of China and is located north of the roughly triangle of North China Plain. It is China’s third most populated city, right after Guangzhou and Shanghai. However, it is the second largest city in the country after Shanghai, with a built-up land area of 1,654 sq. miles, or 4,284 sq. kilometers.
12. Bangkok, Thailand
Population as of 2023: 18,884,000 people
Bangkok is Thailand’s capital and the country’s top tourist destination. It has a population of 18,884,000 people, and ranks 12th on our list of the 15 most populated cities in Asia.
11. Dhaka, Bangladesh
Population as of 2023: 19,134,000 people
19,134,000 people live in Dhaka, which is the capital of Bangladesh. Dhaka was also the capital of Mughal-ruled Bengal, and thus dates back to the 17th century. It has a population density of 80,059 people per sq. mile, or 30,911 people per sq. kilometer.
10. Karachi, Pakistan
Population as of 2023: 20,249,000 people
Karachi is the capital of Pakistan’s Sindh province, and was previously the country’s capital as well. With a population of 20,249,000 people as of 2023, it ranks tenth on our list of the 15 most populated cities in Asia. Karachi is not only the most populated city in Pakistan but is also the country’s largest city by area, with a built-up land area of 434 sq. miles, or 1,124 sq. kilometers.
9. Kolkata, India
Population as of 2023: 21,747,000 people
Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of India’s West Bengal State. It houses 21,747,000 people as of 2023, and has a population density of 41,661 people per sq. mile, or 16,085 people per sq. kilometer. These statistics rank it among the most densely populated cities in India.
8. Seoul, South Korea
Population as of 2023: 23,225,000 people
Seoul is the capital of the East Asian Republic of Korea. It is also the country’s primary tourist attraction, and is a large metropolis with skyscrapers mingled with historic sites. 23,225,000 people live in Seoul as of 2023, making it the most populated city in South Korea and Asia’s eighth most populated city.
7. Shanghai, China
Population as of 2023: 24,042,000 people
Shanghai is located on China’s central coast, and is the country’s financial hub. It has a population of 24,042,000 people as of 2023, and ranks seventh on our list of the 15 most populated cities in Asia.
6. Manila, Philippines
Population as of 2023: 24,156,000 people
24,156,000 people live in Manila as of 2023, which is the capital of the Philippines. The city is located on the island of Luzon, and is the country’s most densely populated city. According to estimates by Demographia, Manila had a population density of 32,732 people per sq. mile, or 12,638 people per sq. kilometer, as of 2023.
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Disclaimer: None. 15 Most Populated Cities in Asia is originally published on Insider Monkey.