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Jakarta Becomes World's Most Populous City With 42M People

Is Jakarta a beacon of endless opportunity, or a worsening socio-environmental catastrophe?
Jakarta Becomes World's Most Populous City With 42M People
Above: Traffic in the central business district in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Oct. 6, 2025. Image credit: Muhammad Fadli/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Spin

Narrative A

Jakarta remains a city of widespread economic opportunity. The capital attracts billions in investment and offers unmatched access to networks, careers and personal growth that simply doesn't exist elsewhere in Indonesia.

Narrative B

Jakarta has become an exceptionally challenging urban environment where 70% of households live in substandard housing and nearly 19% endure slum conditions. The megacity faces environmental catastrophe with ongoing flooding threats, dangerous land subsidence and toxic air quality.


The Controversies



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© 2025 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0

© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.18.0