ISLAMABAD: Karachi is projected to become one of the world’s 10 largest cities between 2025 and 2030, according to the United Nations’ World Urbanisation Prospects 2025. The city’s rapid population growth is expected to continue through mid-century, with estimates suggesting it could reach nearly 33 million people by 2050, surpassing Cairo, Tokyo, Guangzhou, Manila, and Kolkata.
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The report highlights the global rise of megacities, which have quadrupled from eight in 1975 to 33 in 2025, with Asia accounting for 19 of these urban giants. By 2050, the UN predicts 37 megacities worldwide. Fast-growing Dhaka is expected to overtake others to become the world’s largest city by mid-century, while Tokyo’s population will shrink, dropping it from third to seventh place.
Karachi is also among the world’s most densely populated cities, with 25,000 people per square kilometre. The report notes that many of the largest urban centres, including Karachi, face similar challenges due to rapid urbanisation, including pressure on infrastructure, housing, and basic services.
Globally, the urban population has increased dramatically, from just 20 percent of the world’s population living in cities in 1950 to 45 percent in 2025. Countries such as India, China, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the United States accounted for over 500 million of the 1.25 billion people added to cities worldwide between 2000 and 2025.
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While cities continue to grow, more than 3,000 urban areas experienced population declines between 2015 and 2025. The UN projects that the global rural population will peak in the 2040s before gradually declining, reflecting the ongoing shift toward urban living.