Abu Dhabi
972 km²
Riyadh
1,798 km²
United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Area Comparison
Abu Dhabi is 1.8x smaller than Riyadh
Population Comparison
Abu Dhabi has 4.5x fewer people than Riyadh
Yes — Riyadh is 1.8x larger than Abu Dhabi by area. Riyadh spans 1,798 km² (694 mi²) while Abu Dhabi covers 972 km² (375 mi²) — a difference of 826 km².
To put Abu Dhabi's size in perspective, its area of 972 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin. Meanwhile, Riyadh at 1,798 km² is about 1.1x the size of London.
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. Riyadh works out to about 252,000 American football fields, 30 times the area of Manhattan, or 17 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.
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in the 1950s as an expansion of the 18th-century walled town, following the dismantling of its defensive fortifications.
Riyadh has an area of 1,798 km² and is home to 7.0 million people. The city dates back to 1746. Visitors come for Kingdom Centre Tower, Masmak Fortress, Al Faisaliah Tower, and much more.
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia, sitting on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa.
Abu Dhabi has a population density of 1,615 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Riyadh, with 3,899 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Riyadh is noticeably denser, packing 2.4 times more people per square kilometer.
Density Gap
Riyadh is 2.4x 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).
Riyadh covers 1,798 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Houston (1,725 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), Shenzhen (1,997 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), or London (1,572 km²).
The straight-line distance from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh is 774 km (481 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 25m.
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