City Map Compare/Amsterdam vs Athens
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Amsterdam

219 km²

Athens

39 km²

Amsterdam vs Athens - City Size Comparison

Amsterdam vs Athens - City Size Comparison

Amsterdam

Netherlands

Area219 km²
Population0.92M
Density4,201 /km²
Elevation-2 m
Metro Pop.2.5M
Founded1275
Climateoceanic
Athens

Greece

Area39 km²
Population0.64M
Density16,410 /km²
Elevation74 m
Founded7000 BC
ClimateMediterranean climate

Area Comparison

Amsterdam is 5.6x larger than Athens

Population Comparison

Amsterdam has 1.4x more people than Athens

Is Amsterdam Bigger Than Athens?

In terms of area, Amsterdam is 5.6x the size of Athens. Amsterdam spans 219 km² (85 mi²) while Athens covers 39 km² (15 mi²) — a difference of 180 km². You could fit Athens inside Amsterdam approximately 5 times.

To put Amsterdam's size in perspective, its area of 219 km² is about 1.2x the size of Washington D.C.. Meanwhile, Athens at 39 km² is about 1.5x smaller than Manhattan.

Amsterdam's footprint is roughly about 31,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 64 times the area of Central Park — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. For Athens, that's about 5,500 American football fields, 80 times the area of Vatican City, or 19 times the area of Monaco.

About Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the urban area and 2,480,394 in the metropolitan area. Located in the Dutch province of North Holland, Amsterdam is colloquially referred to as the "Venice of the North", for its large number of canals, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Known as "Venice of the North", Amsterdam covers 219 km² with a population of 0.9 million. The city was established in 1275. Amsterdam is known for Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the GVB (Metro & Tram).

Amsterdam's historic canal ring is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, earning it the nickname Venice of the North

About Athens

Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica region and is the southernmost capital on the European mainland. With its urban area's population numbering over 3.6 million, it is the eighth-largest urban area in the European Union (EU).

Also known as "Cradle of Western Civilization", Athens has an area of 39 km² and is home to 0.6 million people. It was founded around 7000 BC. Visitors come for Acropolis of Athens, Parthenon, Plaka neighborhood, and much more.

Athens is the southernmost capital on the European mainland and capital of the Attica region.

Population Density

Amsterdam has a population density of 4,201 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Athens, with 16,410 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Athens is dramatically more crowded, with 3.9x the population density.

Climate & Time Zone

Amsterdam has a oceanic climate while Athens experiences Mediterranean climate conditions.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Athens fits inside Amsterdam ~5 times

Density Gap

Athens is 3.9x more densely populated

History

Athens is ~8,275 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Amsterdam

Amsterdam covers 219 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Helsinki (214 km²), Osaka (225 km²), Boston (232 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), or Kuala Lumpur (243 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Athens

Athens covers 39 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Manila (43 km²), Tel Aviv (52 km²), Zurich (88 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), or Lisbon (100 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Amsterdam actually bigger than Athens?
Amsterdam is 5.6 times larger than Athens by area. Amsterdam covers 219 km² while Athens spans 39 km², a difference of 180 km².
How many times does Athens fit inside Amsterdam?
Athens (39 km²) fits inside Amsterdam (219 km²) approximately 5 times. That means Amsterdam is 5.6x the area of Athens.
What is the population difference between Amsterdam and Athens?
Amsterdam has approximately 0.9 million people, while Athens has about 0.6 million. Amsterdam has 0.3 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Amsterdam or Athens?
Athens is more densely populated with 16,410 people per km², compared to 4,201 people per km².
Which city is older, Amsterdam or Athens?
Athens is older, founded around -7000, while Amsterdam was established around 1275 — a difference of about 8275 years.
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 Amsterdam and Athens

The straight-line distance from Amsterdam to Athens is 2,163 km (1,344 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 3m.

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