Surely you expect a large number of Asian megacities here - and you will not lose! Perhaps, in terms of area, they can lose to other "largest" cities, but in terms of density and population, they can leave behind even entire countries and continents (we are talking about a relatively deserted Australia).
Tokyo, Japan = 37.7 million
Considering the local agglomeration (suburban areas), of course, but the agglomeration here is so closely related to the "main" city that it will be reasonable and logical. The population density in Tokyo has long been a byword: 4600 people per sq.km. And the area of the city is only in the top 5 in the world.
Tokyo began to grow actively in the XIX century, quickly exceeded the population over a million, and then the struggle for land began. Citizens arrived, there was not enough space, so numerous skyscrapers rushed skyward, apartments of 8 square meters began to be "cut", and the authorities even began to add artificial islands here.
Jakarta, Indonesia = 33.8 million
In Jakarta, the population area is 9500 people per sq.km! Of course, this leads to typical problems of megacities, the same traffic jams. For example, for several years there was an interesting ban: in the city center it was forbidden to pass cars where less than 3 people go. People cooperated and took "common car sharing" to get to work and on their business.
Now the authorities are building a "new Jakarta" - the city of Nusantara in East Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo. It is planned to move the capital of Indonesia here. This is also due to natural problems: Jakarta stands in the swamps, so that it slowly goes under water.
Delhi, India = 32.2 million
And the density is as much as 13700 people per sq.km. A real soup with meatballs, not a free city for movement! It is quite dirty here (most of the population occupies slums, where there is no light, sewage and water), smog hangs in the air, which is "helped" by kilometer traffic jams (by the way, according to the "cork" indicator, Delhi is also among the world leaders, about the environment and protection from CO2 emissions here and not heard).
Guangzhou, China = 26.9 million
The density here is already smaller = 5900 people per sq.km., But this is still a lot for a comfortable and spacious life. This is the largest urban agglomeration in the country: Guangzhou is a national center of trade, culture and economy, and even in southern China it is the main city. A huge and busy cargo port gives it great weight.
Mumbai, India = 25 million
We return to India, to the urban agglomeration with a density of 25,600 people per square kilometer. Yes, almost twice as much as in Delhi! Why is Mumbai so crowded? Here is Bollywood, the main center of cinema in the country (and in Asia, let's be honest), so there are enough workers and fame seekers. Plus regular religious holidays that organize crowds of thousands and processions. An unexpected factor is the Dharavi slums. It is considered the largest in the world and paradoxically attracts a huge number of tourists. Well, at least the income from sightseeing tours and other tourist activities is good for the city: for example, for education for the residents of Dharavi themselves, the lion's share of whom lives in terrible poverty and cannot buy an ordinary bun.
Manila, Philippines = 24.9 million
The high population density (13,000 people / sq.km) here is also explained by a very limited space: the islands after all. The composition of the inhabitants here is very heterogeneous, there are many poor, some of whom literally live in the cemetery, not having their own house. A local landmark is the Northern Cemetery, literally a city within a city: the poor occupy the crypts, there is a semblance of shops and cafes, children play on the gravestones.
Shanghai, China = 24 million
Here a comparison with Australia is appropriate: 26 million people live on the whole continent, and the population density is no more than 4 people / sq.km, and in Shanghai - 5600 people / sq.km. This is a major financial center of China, here too (as in Guangzhou) there is an important and large port, which cannot but affect the size and development of the city. It should be noted that the authorities cope well with such flows: yes, the local metro scheme introduces tourists into a catatonic stupor, but in general, the lines (the total length is 802 km!) can take you anywhere and very quickly.
