Amsterdam
219 km²
Brussels
161 km²
Netherlands
Belgium
Area Comparison
Amsterdam is 1.4x larger than Brussels
Population Comparison
Amsterdam has 1.4x fewer people than Brussels
In terms of area, Amsterdam is 1.4x the size of Brussels. Amsterdam spans 219 km² (85 mi²) while Brussels covers 161 km² (62 mi²) — a difference of 58 km².
To put Amsterdam's size in perspective, its area of 219 km² is about 1.2x the size of Washington D.C.. Meanwhile, Brussels at 161 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
In more relatable units, Amsterdam's 219 km² is about 31,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 64 times the area of Central Park. Brussels works out to about 23,000 American football fields, 80 times the area of Monaco, or 47 times the area of Central Park.
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
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium. The Brussels-Capital Region is located in the central portion of the country. It is a part of both the French Community of Belgium and the Flemish Community, and is separate from the Flemish Region (Flanders), within which it forms an enclave, and the Walloon Region (Wallonia), located less than 4 km (2.5 mi) south.
Often called "Capital of Europe", Brussels has an area of 161 km² and is home to 1.3 million people. The city dates back to 1989. Visitors come for Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Atomium, and much more.
The Brussels-Capital Region comprises 19 municipalities and forms an enclave entirely within the Flemish Region.
Amsterdam has a population density of 4,201 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Brussels, with 7,826 people per km², is a densely populated city. Brussels is noticeably denser, packing 1.9 times more people per square kilometer.
Density Gap
Brussels is 1.9x more densely populated
History
Amsterdam is ~714 years older
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).
Brussels covers 161 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Minneapolis (149 km²), Washington D.C. (177 km²), Miami (143 km²), Stockholm (188 km²), or Buenos Aires (203 km²).
The straight-line distance from Amsterdam to Brussels is 173 km (108 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~42m.
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