Greater Dhaka


Greater Dhaka is the conurbation surrounding the Bangladeshi capital city of Dhaka, which has grown into one of the world's largest megacities, and shows a very rapid rate of expansion. Dhaka not only grows because it is the capital and largest urban center but also due to massive internal displacement from millions of people living in a perennially flood-prone river delta.

Definition

The area of Dhaka Statistical Metropolitan Area was 1,353 square kilometers, of which Dhaka City Corporation occupied 276 square kilometers at the 2001 census. The Dhaka Statistical Metropolitan Area covers the Dhaka Municipal Corporation area and Savar Upazila and Keraniganj Upazila of Dhaka District, Narayanganj Sadar Upazila, Bandar Upazila and Rupganj Upazila of Narayanganj District, Gazipur Sadar Upazila and Kaliakair Upazila of Gazipur District, and Narsingdi Sadar Upazila and Palash Upazila of Narsingdi District.

Components of the Metropolitan Area

Since the 2001 Census, Dhaka has grown tremendously, as evidenced by the 2011 Census figures. However, definitions were changed between the two censuses, with several outlying upazilas situated in neighbouring administrative districts being included in the expanded definition. The following table shows the revision of the metropolitan area, shown in blue and red on map, based on 2011 figures:
Administrative districtIncluded areaArea in sq km Population Population Population per sq km
Dhaka DistrictDhaka City Corporation and Surrounding Thanas 3016,881,0259,254,47330,749
Dhaka DistrictSavar Upazila283629,6951,442,8855,115
Dhaka DistrictKeraniganj Upazila167649,373824,5384,943
Narayanganj DistrictNarayanganj Sadar Upazila101946,2051,381,79613,717
Narayanganj DistrictBandar Upazila54267,021327,1496,015
Narayanganj DistrictRupganj Upazila176423,135558,1923,163
Gazipur DistrictGazipur Sadar Upazila458925,4541,899,5754,151
Gazipur DistrictKaliakair Upazila314278,967503,9761,604
Narsingdi DistrictNarsingdi Sadar Upazila213606,474737,3623,455
Narsingdi DistrictPalash Upazila94198,106221,9792,351
Metropolitan Area2,16111,805,45517,151,9257,936