Dhaka

cities · Bangladesh · super crowded

Mega crowded city. Dhaka is home to about 36.6 million people, making it the second largest city by population in the whole world. It's also the most densely packed built-up city on the planet, which means more people live squeezed together there than almost anywhere else.

Rivers all around. Dhaka sits on the Ganges Delta and is surrounded by four rivers: the Buriganga, Turag, Dhaleshwari, and Shitalakshya. These rivers have been important to the city for hundreds of years, bringing water and transportation to its people.

Bengali language hub. Dhaka is the largest city in the world where Bengali is the main language people speak. Bengali is spoken by millions of people across South Asia, and Dhaka is its biggest cultural center.

Economic powerhouse. Dhaka is a major hub for business, culture, and science in Eastern South Asia. The city's economy is so large that it ranks 55th in the world in total wealth production, even though it's in a smaller country.

Name change story. The city used to be called Dacca, but it's now spelled Dhaka. It has been an important city for trade and culture for many centuries in South Asia.