Comparison of actual and predicted population growth in three major cities

The bar chart illustrates the population data for Jakarta, Shanghai, and Sao Paulo, comparing 1990 figures with both the predicted and actual population counts for the year 2000.

Overall, all three cities experienced population growth between 1990 and 2000, with actual figures consistently exceeding the initial predictions in every case. Sao Paulo remained the most populous city throughout the period, while Shanghai showed the most significant deviation from its predicted growth.

In 1990, Sao Paulo had a population of 17 million, which was projected to reach 21.5 million by 2000; however, the actual figure was higher at 24 million. Similarly, Shanghai started with 12 million people in 1990. Interestingly, its population was predicted to decline to 11 million by 2000, but it actually grew to 15 million, representing a substantial increase rather than the expected contraction.

Jakarta, which had the smallest population of the three at 8.5 million in 1990, was predicted to reach 11 million by 2000. The actual population surpassed this estimate, reaching 12.5 million. In summary, while all cities saw their populations rise, the actual growth in each location significantly outperformed the initial forecasts made for the turn of the millennium.