Amsterdam
219 km²
Lisbon
100 km²
Netherlands
Portugal
Area Comparison
Amsterdam is 2.2x larger than Lisbon
Population Comparison
Amsterdam has 1.7x more people than Lisbon
Amsterdam is significantly larger, covering 2.2 times the area of Lisbon. Amsterdam spans 219 km² (85 mi²) while Lisbon covers 100 km² (39 mi²) — a difference of 119 km². You could fit Lisbon inside Amsterdam approximately 2 times.
To put Amsterdam's size in perspective, its area of 219 km² is about 1.2x the size of Washington D.C.. Meanwhile, Lisbon at 100 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper).
Picture Amsterdam another way: its area is large enough to fit about 31,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 64 times the area of Central Park. Lisbon works out to about 14,000 American football fields, 50 times the area of Monaco, or 29 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
Lisbon is the capital and most populous city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 575,739 as of 2024, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city, and the only one along the Atlantic coast, the others being on islands. The city lies in the western portion of the Iberian Peninsula, on the northern shore of the River Tagus.
Nicknamed "City of Seven Hills", Lisbon has an area of 100 km² and is home to 0.6 million people. Its history stretches back to 1200 BC. Visitors come for Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, Tram 28, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Lisbon Metro.
Lisbon is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city and the only European capital along the Atlantic coast.
Looking beyond city limits, the Lisbon metropolitan area covers 3,015 km², which is 1.2x larger than greater Amsterdam at 2,580 km². The Lisbon metro area is also more populous, with 2.9 million people compared to 2.5 million.
Amsterdam has a population density of 4,201 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Lisbon, with 5,500 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Lisbon is slightly more compact.
Both cities are in Europe, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Lisbon (Portugal) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Amsterdam has a oceanic climate while Lisbon experiences Mediterranean conditions.
Size Ratio
Lisbon fits inside Amsterdam ~2 times
Density Gap
Lisbon is 1.3x more densely populated
History
Lisbon is ~2,475 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).
Lisbon covers 100 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), Zurich (88 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).
The straight-line distance from Amsterdam to Lisbon is 1,863 km (1,158 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 42m.
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