City Map Compare/Abu Dhabi vs Brisbane
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5 km
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Abu Dhabi

972 km²

Brisbane

15,826 km²

Abu Dhabi vs Brisbane - City Size Comparison

Abu Dhabi vs Brisbane - City Size Comparison

Abu Dhabi

United Arab Emirates

Area972 km²
Population1.57M
Density1,615 /km²
Elevation14 m
Climatedesert climate
Brisbane

Australia

Area15,826 km²
Population2.71M
Density171 /km²
Elevation0 m
Founded1824

Area Comparison

Abu Dhabi is 16.3x smaller than Brisbane

Population Comparison

Abu Dhabi has 1.7x fewer people than Brisbane

Is Abu Dhabi Bigger Than Brisbane?

In terms of area, Brisbane is 16.3x the size of Abu Dhabi. Brisbane spans 15,826 km² (6,110 mi²) while Abu Dhabi covers 972 km² (375 mi²) — a difference of 14,854 km². You could fit Abu Dhabi inside Brisbane approximately 16 times.

To put Abu Dhabi's size in perspective, its area of 972 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin. Meanwhile, Brisbane at 15,826 km² is about 2.5x the size of Shanghai.

Picture Abu Dhabi another way: its area is large enough to fit about 136,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 times the area of Paris. Brisbane works out to about 2,200,000 American football fields, 150 times the area of Paris, or 130 times the area of San Francisco.

About Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The city is the seat of the Abu Dhabi Central Capital District, the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE's second-most populous city, after Dubai. The city is situated on a T-shaped island, extending into the Persian Gulf from the central-western coast of the UAE.

Abu Dhabi covers 972 km² with a population of 1.6 million. Abu Dhabi is known for Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Emirates Palace, among other attractions.

Abu Dhabi sits on a T-shaped island extending into the Persian Gulf from the UAE's central-western coast.

About Brisbane

Brisbane is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Queensland and the third-most populous city in Australia, with a population of approximately 2.8 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of South East Queensland, a bio-geographical and urban region with an estimated population of 4.1 million as of 2024. The central business district is situated within a peninsula of the Brisbane River approximately 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from its mouth at Moreton Bay.

Often called "Brissy", Brisbane has an area of 15,826 km² and is home to 2.7 million people. The city dates back to 1824. Visitors come for Brisbane River, South Bank Parklands, Story Bridge, and much more.

Brisbane is Queensland's capital and Australia's third-most populous city with around 2.8 million residents.

Population Density

Abu Dhabi has a population density of 1,615 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Brisbane, with 171 people per km², is a low-density, sprawling urban area. Abu Dhabi is dramatically more crowded, with 9.4x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Abu Dhabi fits inside Brisbane ~16 times

Density Gap

Abu Dhabi is 9.4x more densely populated

Cities Similar in Size to Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi covers 972 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Diego (964 km²), Dallas (997 km²), Berlin (892 km²), Hong Kong (1,114 km²), or Santiago (838 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Brisbane

Brisbane covers 15,826 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Beijing (16,411 km²), Hangzhou (16,854 km²), Chengdu (14,378 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), or Xi'an (10,097 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Abu Dhabi actually bigger than Brisbane?
Brisbane is 16.3 times larger than Abu Dhabi by area. Brisbane covers 15,826 km² while Abu Dhabi spans 972 km², a difference of 14,854 km².
How many times does Abu Dhabi fit inside Brisbane?
Abu Dhabi (972 km²) fits inside Brisbane (15,826 km²) approximately 16 times. That means Brisbane is 16.3x the area of Abu Dhabi.
What is the population difference between Abu Dhabi and Brisbane?
Brisbane has approximately 2.7 million people, while Abu Dhabi has about 1.6 million. Brisbane has 1.1 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Abu Dhabi or Brisbane?
Abu Dhabi is more densely populated with 1,615 people per km², compared to 171 people per km².
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Abu Dhabi and Brisbane

The straight-line distance from Abu Dhabi to Brisbane is 12,033 km (7,477 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 39m.

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