City Map Compare/Amsterdam vs Edinburgh
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Amsterdam

219 km²

Edinburgh

259 km²

Amsterdam vs Edinburgh - City Size Comparison

Amsterdam vs Edinburgh - City Size Comparison

Amsterdam

Netherlands

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

United Kingdom

Area259 km²
Population0.49M
Density1,892 /km²
Elevation47 m
Founded601

Area Comparison

Amsterdam is 1.2x smaller than Edinburgh

Population Comparison

Amsterdam has 1.9x more people than Edinburgh

Is Amsterdam Bigger Than Edinburgh?

In terms of area, Edinburgh is 1.2x the size of Amsterdam. Edinburgh spans 259 km² (100 mi²) while Amsterdam covers 219 km² (85 mi²) — a difference of 40 km².

To put Amsterdam's size in perspective, its area of 219 km² is about 1.2x the size of Washington D.C.. Meanwhile, Edinburgh at 259 km² is about 1.2x the size of Amsterdam.

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. For Edinburgh, that's about 36,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Monaco, or 76 times the area of Central Park.

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 Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. It is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh had a population of 506,520 in 2020, making it the second-most-populous city in Scotland and the seventh-most-populous in the United Kingdom. The wider metropolitan area had a population of 912,490 in the same year.

Often called "Auld Reekie", Edinburgh has an area of 259 km² and is home to 0.5 million people. It was established in 601. Visitors come for Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat, and much more.

Edinburgh is bounded by the Firth of Forth to the north and the Pentland Hills to the south.

Population Density

Amsterdam has a population density of 4,201 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Edinburgh, with 1,892 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Amsterdam is noticeably denser, packing 2.2 times more people per square kilometer.

Key Differences at a Glance

Density Gap

Amsterdam is 2.2x more densely populated

History

Edinburgh is ~674 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 Edinburgh

Edinburgh covers 259 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Taipei (272 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), Boston (232 km²), Osaka (225 km²), or Amsterdam (219 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Amsterdam bigger than Edinburgh?
Edinburgh is 1.2 times larger than Amsterdam by area. Edinburgh covers 259 km² while Amsterdam spans 219 km², a difference of 40 km².
How many times does Amsterdam fit inside Edinburgh?
Amsterdam (219 km²) fits inside Edinburgh (259 km²) approximately 1 times. That means Edinburgh is 1.2x the area of Amsterdam.
What is the population difference between Amsterdam and Edinburgh?
Amsterdam has approximately 0.9 million people, while Edinburgh has about 0.5 million. Amsterdam has 0.4 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Amsterdam or Edinburgh?
Amsterdam is more densely populated with 4,201 people per km², compared to 1,892 people per km².
Which city is older, Amsterdam or Edinburgh?
Edinburgh is older, founded around 601, while Amsterdam was established around 1275 — a difference of about 674 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 Edinburgh

The straight-line distance from Amsterdam to Edinburgh is 660 km (410 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 17m.

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