Southeast Asian capital cities have changed a lot over the last thirty years. Many of these cities are growing very quickly and losing their green spaces to concrete buildings. This study looked at how eleven different capitals in the region have changed between 1990 and 2024.
While most major cities are becoming hotter and more crowded, one city stands out for its unique landscape. Naypyidaw, the administrative capital of Myanmar, is currently the greenest city among all the capital cities of ASEAN. It has managed to keep a high level of natural plants even as it expands.
A study from npj Urban Sustain shows that keeping trees and forests helps to keep the air much cooler for everyone. In many other large cities, the loss of nature has led to serious heat problems that affect people's health.
The Development of Myanmar's Capital
The main reason Naypyidaw is so green is that it is a very new city. It was officially named the administrative capital in 2005, which is much later than the other capitals in the region. Before this time, the area was almost entirely natural land with very few buildings.
Because the city started so recently, its growth has been much more gradual than other megacities. In 1990, the urban area was almost zero, and even by 2024, only about 25% of the land is covered by buildings. This slow expansion has allowed much of the original forest and vegetation to stay in place.
The city also has a very low urban density, meaning there is more space between buildings for parks and trees. This limited surface modification helps to prevent the ground from trapping too much heat from the sun. Currently, it has the highest vegetation level in the region at over 63%.
Comparing Naypyidaw with Other Regional Capitals
Comparing to other cities like Hanoi and Jakarta, the difference in green space is very clear. Hanoi has seen its urban areas grow to cover nearly 93% of its total land by 2024. This rapid construction has left the city with only about 4% of its natural vegetation remaining.
Jakarta has followed a very similar path of aggressive expansion into its surrounding green zones. Its built-up area now covers over 92% of the city, leaving very little room for any trees or plants. These cities are now dominated by heat-retentive materials like concrete and asphalt.
Manila is another city that struggles with extremely high urban density and very little green space. It was already quite developed by 1990 and has reached almost 90% urban cover in recent years. Today, its natural vegetation level is measured at only around 6% of its total area.
Cities like Bangkok and Singapore have more green space than Jakarta, but they are still far behind Naypyidaw. Bangkok has managed to keep about 33% of its vegetation, though this is a large drop from previous decades. Singapore has about 23% green cover, which is much lower than the 63% found in Myanmar.
Moreover, smaller capitals like Bandar Seri Begawan and Dili also show higher green levels than the giant megacities. Bandar Seri Begawan has about 35% vegetation, while Dili sits at around 31% after recent growth. However, neither of these smaller cities can match the vast natural areas kept in Naypyidaw.
Vientiane is an interesting case because it is the only city where green space actually increased recently. It went from about 26% vegetation in 1990 to nearly 46% by 2024 due to greening efforts. Even with this great success, it still has significantly less vegetation than the greenest capital.
Phnom Penh has seen its natural landscape decline steadily as it converts land into urban infrastructure. It started with more green space but now has only about 11% vegetation left in its boundaries. This highlights how difficult it is for growing cities to protect their natural cooling systems.
The high level of vegetation in Naypyidaw helps it record the lowest surface temperatures in the entire region. The trees provide shade and release moisture, which acts like a natural air conditioner for the city. It serves as an important reminder that urban growth does not always have to mean losing nature.
