Amsterdam
219 km²
Madrid
604 km²
Netherlands
Spain
Area Comparison
Amsterdam is 2.8x smaller than Madrid
Population Comparison
Amsterdam has 3.6x fewer people than Madrid
In terms of area, Madrid is 2.8x the size of Amsterdam. Madrid spans 604 km² (233 mi²) while Amsterdam covers 219 km² (85 mi²) — a difference of 385 km². You could fit Amsterdam inside Madrid 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, Madrid at 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
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 Madrid, that's about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
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
Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. It had a population of over 3.4 million in the city proper in 2025, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU, after Paris. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 square kilometres (233.89 sq mi).
Also known as "La Villa y Corte", Madrid has an area of 604 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. It was established in 852. Visitors come for Royal Palace of Madrid, Prado Museum, Plaza Mayor, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Madrid Metro.
Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union after Berlin, with over 3.4 million residents in the city proper
Looking beyond city limits, the Madrid metropolitan area covers 8,028 km², which is 3.1x larger than greater Amsterdam at 2,580 km². The Madrid metro area is also more populous, with 6.8 million people compared to 2.5 million.
Amsterdam has a population density of 4,201 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Madrid, with 5,513 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Madrid is slightly more compact.
Both cities are in Europe, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Madrid (Spain) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Amsterdam has a oceanic climate while Madrid experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions. Summers are notably different: Madrid averages 26°C compared to 17°C in Amsterdam.
Size Ratio
Amsterdam fits inside Madrid ~2 times
Density Gap
Madrid is 1.3x more densely populated
History
Madrid is ~423 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).
Madrid covers 604 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Chicago (606 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Amsterdam to Madrid is 1,481 km (920 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 15m.
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