Dhaka (Bengali: ঢাকা), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital of Bangladesh. It is the ninth-largest and the sixth-most densely populated city in the world, with a population of 8.9 million residents within the city limits, and a population of over 21 million residents in the Greater Dhaka Area. Dhaka is the economic, political, and cultural center of Bangladesh, and is one of the major cities in South Asia, the largest city in Eastern South Asia. The major suburb areas which are a part of the Dhaka Metropolitan Area and Greater Dhaka urban area are: