Abu Dhabi
972 km²
Istanbul
5,461 km²
United Arab Emirates
Turkey
Area Comparison
Abu Dhabi is 5.6x smaller than Istanbul
Population Comparison
Abu Dhabi has 9.8x fewer people than Istanbul
Yes — Istanbul is 5.6x larger than Abu Dhabi by area. Istanbul spans 5,461 km² (2,109 mi²) while Abu Dhabi covers 972 km² (375 mi²) — a difference of 4,489 km². You could fit Abu Dhabi inside Istanbul approximately 5 times.
To put Abu Dhabi's size in perspective, its area of 972 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin. Meanwhile, Istanbul at 5,461 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Shanghai.
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. For Istanbul, that's about 765,000 American football fields, 92 times the area of Manhattan, or 52 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.
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical center. With a population of over 15 million, it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is among the largest cities in Europe and in the world by population. It is a city on two continents; about two-thirds of its population live in Europe and the rest in Asia.
Nicknamed "City on Two Continents", Istanbul has an area of 5,461 km² and is home to 15.5 million people. It was founded around 660 BC. Visitors come for Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Istanbul Metro.
Istanbul is one of the only major cities to span two continents, with about two-thirds of its population living in Europe and the rest in Asia.
Abu Dhabi has a population density of 1,615 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Istanbul, with 2,831 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Istanbul is noticeably denser, packing 1.8 times more people per square kilometer.
Abu Dhabi has a desert climate climate while Istanbul experiences oceanic conditions.
Size Ratio
Abu Dhabi fits inside Istanbul ~5 times
Density Gap
Istanbul is 1.8x 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).
Istanbul covers 5,461 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Shanghai (6,341 km²), Perth (6,417 km²), Dubai (4,114 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), or Karachi (3,527 km²).
The straight-line distance from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul is 2,984 km (1,854 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~4h 1m.
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