The People

As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 2,624,129 and the density of 11,857.79 persons per square kilometre. The total area is 221.30 km2.

The people of Osaka speak a dialect of standard Japanese called Osaka-ben, characterised, most prominently amongst other particularities, by the use of the suffix hen instead of nai in the negative of verbs.

Osaka people are considered by other Japanese to be rowdy and boisterous with a robust and coarse sense of humour, befitting people engaged in the commercial life of the region. Very similar to how Americans stereotype New Yorkers.

About 118,000 foreign residents are registered in the city. Its 96,000 Korean residents are mainly concentrated around Ikuno Ward, where a famous Korean town, Tsuruhashi, is included.