City Map Compare/Athens vs Los Angeles
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Athens

39 km²

Los Angeles

1,302 km²

Athens vs Los Angeles - City Size Comparison

Athens vs Los Angeles - City Size Comparison

Athens

Greece

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

USA

Area1,302 km²
Population3.97M
Density3,049 /km²
Elevation71 m
Metro Pop.13.2M
Founded1781
ClimateMediterranean

Area Comparison

Athens is 33.4x smaller than Los Angeles

Population Comparison

Athens has 6.2x fewer people than Los Angeles

Is Athens Bigger Than Los Angeles?

In terms of area, Los Angeles is 33.4x the size of Athens. Los Angeles spans 1,302 km² (503 mi²) while Athens covers 39 km² (15 mi²) — a difference of 1,263 km². You could fit Athens inside Los Angeles approximately 33 times.

To put Athens's size in perspective, its area of 39 km² is about 1.5x smaller than Manhattan. Meanwhile, Los Angeles at 1,302 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London.

Picture Athens another way: its area is large enough to fit about 5,500 American football fields, 80 times the area of Vatican City, or 19 times the area of Monaco. Los Angeles works out to about 182,000 American football fields, 22 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.

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).

Known as "Cradle of Western Civilization", Athens covers 39 km² with a population of 0.6 million. The city was founded around 7000 BC. Athens is known for Acropolis of Athens, Parthenon, Plaka neighborhood, among other attractions.

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

About Los Angeles

Los Angeles (LA) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With an estimated 3.88 million residents within the city limits as of 2024, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, behind New York City, and the largest city in the Western United States. The city has an ethnically and culturally diverse population, and is the principal city of a metropolitan area of 12.9 million people (2024).

Often called "The City of Angels", Los Angeles has an area of 1,302 km² and is home to 4.0 million people. The city dates back to 1781. Visitors come for Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica Pier, Beverly Hills, and much more. Getting around is easy with the LA Metro.

Los Angeles is the second-most populous city in the United States, home to 3.88 million residents within city limits as of 2024.

Population Density

Athens has a population density of 16,410 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Los Angeles, with 3,049 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Athens is dramatically more crowded, with 5.4x the population density.

Climate & Time Zone

Athens has a Mediterranean climate climate while Los Angeles experiences Mediterranean conditions.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Athens fits inside Los Angeles ~33 times

Density Gap

Athens is 5.4x more densely populated

History

Athens is ~8,781 years older

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Los Angeles

Los Angeles covers 1,302 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Rome (1,285 km²), Phoenix (1,341 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), San Antonio (1,209 km²), or Lagos (1,172 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Athens actually bigger than Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is 33.4 times larger than Athens by area. Los Angeles covers 1,302 km² while Athens spans 39 km², a difference of 1,263 km².
How many times does Athens fit inside Los Angeles?
Athens (39 km²) fits inside Los Angeles (1,302 km²) approximately 33 times. That means Los Angeles is 33.4x the area of Athens.
What is the population difference between Athens and Los Angeles?
Los Angeles has approximately 4.0 million people, while Athens has about 0.6 million. Los Angeles has 3.3 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Athens or Los Angeles?
Athens is more densely populated with 16,410 people per km², compared to 3,049 people per km².
Which city is older, Athens or Los Angeles?
Athens is older, founded around -7000, while Los Angeles was established around 1781 — a difference of about 8781 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 Athens and Los Angeles

The straight-line distance from Athens to Los Angeles is 11,094 km (6,894 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 33m.

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