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

972 km²

Cairo

3,085 km²

Abu Dhabi vs Cairo - City Size Comparison

Abu Dhabi vs Cairo - City Size Comparison

Abu Dhabi

United Arab Emirates

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

Egypt

Area3,085 km²
Population10.10M
Density3,274 /km²
Elevation75 m
Metro Pop.21.3M
Founded969
Climatehot desert

Area Comparison

Abu Dhabi is 3.2x smaller than Cairo

Population Comparison

Abu Dhabi has 6.4x fewer people than Cairo

Is Abu Dhabi Bigger Than Cairo?

Cairo is significantly larger, covering 3.2 times the area of Abu Dhabi. Cairo spans 3,085 km² (1,191 mi²) while Abu Dhabi covers 972 km² (375 mi²) — a difference of 2,113 km². You could fit Abu Dhabi inside Cairo approximately 3 times.

To put Abu Dhabi's size in perspective, its area of 972 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin. Meanwhile, Cairo at 3,085 km² is about 1.2x the size of Luxembourg.

Abu Dhabi's footprint is roughly about 136,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Cairo, by comparison, equals about 432,000 American football fields, 52 times the area of Manhattan, or 29 times the area of Paris.

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 Cairo

Cairo is the capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate. It is home to more than 9.8 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world, and the Middle East. The Greater Cairo metropolitan area is one of the largest in the world by population with over 22 million people. Areas of what would become Cairo were inhabited from pre-dynastic and early-dynastic ancient Egypt c.

Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets", Cairo has an area of 3,085 km² and is home to 10.1 million people. The city dates back to 969. Visitors come for Pyramids of Giza, Great Sphinx, Egyptian Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Cairo Metro.

Cairo is home to more than 9.8 million people and is part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa and the Arab world.

Population Density

Abu Dhabi has a population density of 1,615 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Cairo, with 3,274 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Cairo is noticeably denser, packing 2.0 times more people per square kilometer.

Climate & Time Zone

Abu Dhabi has a desert climate climate while Cairo experiences hot desert conditions.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Abu Dhabi fits inside Cairo ~3 times

Density Gap

Cairo is 2.0x 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 Cairo

Cairo covers 3,085 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hanoi (3,359 km²), Karachi (3,527 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), Moscow (2,511 km²), or Cape Town (2,455 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Abu Dhabi or Cairo?
Cairo is 3.2 times larger than Abu Dhabi by area. Cairo covers 3,085 km² while Abu Dhabi spans 972 km², a difference of 2,113 km².
How many times does Abu Dhabi fit inside Cairo?
Abu Dhabi (972 km²) fits inside Cairo (3,085 km²) approximately 3 times. That means Cairo is 3.2x the area of Abu Dhabi.
What is the population difference between Abu Dhabi and Cairo?
Cairo has approximately 10.1 million people, while Abu Dhabi has about 1.6 million. Cairo has 8.5 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Abu Dhabi or Cairo?
Cairo is more densely populated with 3,274 people per km², compared to 1,615 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 Cairo

The straight-line distance from Abu Dhabi to Cairo is 2,364 km (1,469 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 17m.

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