Abu Dhabi
972 km²
Dubai
4,114 km²
United Arab Emirates
UAE
Area Comparison
Abu Dhabi is 4.2x smaller than Dubai
Population Comparison
Abu Dhabi has 2.1x fewer people than Dubai
Dubai is significantly larger, covering 4.2 times the area of Abu Dhabi. Dubai spans 4,114 km² (1,588 mi²) while Abu Dhabi covers 972 km² (375 mi²) — a difference of 3,142 km². You could fit Abu Dhabi inside Dubai approximately 4 times.
To put Abu Dhabi's size in perspective, its area of 972 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin. Meanwhile, Dubai at 4,114 km² is roughly the same size as Rhode Island.
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. Dubai, by comparison, equals about 576,000 American football fields, 70 times the area of Manhattan, or 39 times the area of Paris.
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.
Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. It is on a creek on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf. As of 2025, its population stands at 4 million, 92% of whom are expatriates. The wider urban area includes Sharjah and has a population of 5 million people as of 2023, while the Dubai–Sharjah–Ajman metropolitan area has a population of 6 million people.
Nicknamed "City of Gold", Dubai has an area of 4,114 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. The city dates back to 1833. Visitors come for Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Mall, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Dubai Metro.
Dubai's population reached 4 million in 2025, with 92% of residents being expatriates rather than UAE nationals.
Abu Dhabi has a population density of 1,615 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Dubai, with 809 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Abu Dhabi is noticeably denser, packing 2.0 times more people per square kilometer.
Abu Dhabi has a desert climate climate while Dubai experiences hot desert conditions.
Size Ratio
Abu Dhabi fits inside Dubai ~4 times
Density Gap
Abu Dhabi is 2.0x more densely populated
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).
Dubai covers 4,114 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Karachi (3,527 km²), Hanoi (3,359 km²), Istanbul (5,461 km²), Cairo (3,085 km²), or Lima (2,672 km²).
The straight-line distance from Abu Dhabi to Dubai is 123 km (76 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~39m.
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