Indonesians weigh peril and promise of Jakarta – the world’s most populous city

Jakarta overtook Tokyo late last year under new UN criteria that also factor in the city’s wider metropolitan area, moving it to the top of the global rankings by population.

For its residents, the title reflects the harsh realities of daily life – perpetually congested traffic, overbearing heat, regular monsoon floods and a challenging job market.

For 22-year-old midwifery lecturer Fitri Sartika Rama, Jakarta is a place that straddles promise and the tough realities of life.

“It is a good place to live if you are young and focused on your job and making money,” she said. “Jakarta is OK for a short time, but I don’t want to live here in the long term.”

She calls it “a young person’s city” – a place that rewards ambition and speed, even as it exacts a heavy daily toll.