Jakarta is now the biggest city in the world

UN Report, Metrics, and Definitions

• The Axios piece is based on a UN report; commenters link the original press release and methodology.
• “City” here is a functional urban area defined by density thresholds (DEGURBA), not legal boundaries; rankings aggregate contiguous high-density zones.
• Some see this as more meaningful than administrative borders; others note it’s still arbitrary and leads to oddities (e.g., “Hajipur” as a future megacity actually refers to a huge agglomeration).

Building Cities: Asia vs. the West

• One camp argues Western countries “refuse to build,” blocked by governance, bureaucracy, and NIMBYs, while parts of Asia build entire new cities, airports, and transit systems rapidly.
• Others push back, citing Canadian and US housing-start data, environmental review requirements, and democratic processes that intentionally slow and shape development.
• Debate over whether authoritarianism is a necessary or just convenient accelerant for mega-infrastructure; some insist long-term planning can be done in democracies via incentives and public–private partnerships.

Jakarta’s Infrastructure, Transit, and Mobility

• Several commenters emphasize Jakarta’s civil infrastructure is weak for its size: bad congestion, limited high-capacity rail, and serious air pollution.
• Comparison with Singapore, Tokyo, and Chinese megacities highlights Jakarta’s lag in mass transit, though others note it has multiple rail/BRT lines and a new high‑speed rail.
• Scooters are seen as essential for throughput and affordability; swapping them for cars is viewed as impossible in current densities.

Environmental and Political Risks

• Jakarta is sinking and flood‑prone due to groundwater extraction and poor river management; this helps explain the planned move of the capital to Nusantara.
• Some see the new capital as also a way to dilute Java-centric political power.
• Serious human‑rights concerns are raised over Indonesia’s past mass killings and current repression in West Papua.

Everyday Experience, Tourism, and Quality of Life

• Personal accounts diverge: some praise Jakarta as underrated, affordable, safe, and vibrant; others describe it as filthy, stressful, and among the worst cities in SE Asia for traffic and pollution.
• Tap water is unsafe; air quality is widely reported as poor. Nightlife is described as intense but not (and, some say, should not be) on Bangkok’s sex‑tourism model.

Indonesia’s Global Profile and Culture

• Many express surprise at Indonesia’s size and Muslim majority and note its relative absence from Western news and pop culture.
• Comparisons are made with China and Korea’s cultural exports; some expect more Indonesian cultural visibility as digital-native generations mature.

Why Megacities Exist

• Discussion touches on agglomeration economics: firms and workers cluster for productivity, even when costs and living conditions rise.
• Some argue megacities are ecological wins per capita; others question quality-of-life trade‑offs and advocate spreading growth across smaller cities.