Dhaka, formerly spelled as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the largest and most densely populated cities in the world with a density of about 34,000 citizens per square kilometers within a total area of approximately 300 square kilometers. Dhaka is a megacity, and has a population of 10.2 million as of 2024, and a population of over 23.9 million in Dhaka Metropolitan Area. It is widely considered to be the most densely populated built-up urban area in the world. Dhaka is an important cultural, economic, and scientific hub of Eastern South Asia, as well as a major Muslim-majority city. Dhaka ranks third in South Asia and 39th in the world in terms of GDP. Lying on the Ganges Delta, it is bounded by the Buriganga, Turag, Dhaleshwari and Shitalakshya rivers. It is also the largest Bengali-speaking city in the world.