Kolkata's population ranking drops from 5th in 2000 to 9th in 2025 as per UN report

Kolkata's population have fallen in the United Nations' ranking of the world’s most populous megacities for 2025 even though added millions of people since 2000, according to the latest World Urbanisation Prospects report released by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. This report brings a mix of caution and comfort for Kolkata—predicting its population will climb to 23.8 million by 2050. Right now in 2025, the city ranks ninth with 22.6 million residents, a rise from 18.4 million in 2000 when it held fifth place, but it's slipped as faster-growing spots like Dhaka and Jakarta surges ahead.Delhi, which was ranked sixth in 2000 with a population of 18 million, has grown to 30.2 million residents now, eyeing 33.9 million population by 2050. 

This report is a smarter, satellite-driven definition of urban areas that captures sprawling suburbs and commuter zones, not just city limits, explaining why rankings shift even as numbers swell—Kolkata added over 4 million people since 2000, yet its 0.82% annual growth lags behind Dhaka's stageering 1.48%. This slowdown isn't all bad news; experts see it as a breather for Kolkata, where explosive growth once strained everything from traffic to housing. From 2000 to 2025, the city's population increased by about 4.2 million, but projections show just 1.2 million more in the next 25 years, hinting at easing pressure on resources. Dhaka could leap to first by 2050 with 46 million, while Jakarta holds strong at second with 48 million—both outpacing Kolkata's more measured pace. The UN's geospatial tweaks ensure we're counting the real urban footprint, blending core cities with connected outskirts, which has reshuffled the global list: Tokyo drops to seventh, Shanghai climbs to third, and Cairo sneaks into sixth.

For Kolkata, this means staying a top-10 player without the chaos of unchecked expansion, a trend tied to better family planning and economic shifts pulling fewer migrants. Asia's the real story here, with India and China leading the charge—both at 44% urban dwellers in 2025, set to add hundreds of millions more by 2050 as folks chase jobs and schools from rural roots. India alone will gain 416 million city residents, boasting five megacities in the global top 20, more than anywhere else. For Kolkata, this controlled growth signals hope: a chance to build greener, smarter spaces while holding onto its cultural heartbeat. As Delhi powers on at fourth position, both cities remind us that in the urban race, steady wins over sprinting—turning projections into plans for livable futures.