City Map Compare/Athens vs Phoenix
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Athens

39 km²

Phoenix

1,341 km²

Athens vs Phoenix - City Size Comparison

Athens vs Phoenix - City Size Comparison

Athens

Greece

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

United States

Area1,341 km²
Population1.61M
Density1,201 /km²
Elevation331 m
Founded1868

Area Comparison

Athens is 34.4x smaller than Phoenix

Population Comparison

Athens has 2.5x fewer people than Phoenix

Is Athens Bigger Than Phoenix?

In terms of area, Phoenix is 34.4x the size of Athens. Phoenix spans 1,341 km² (518 mi²) while Athens covers 39 km² (15 mi²) — a difference of 1,302 km². You could fit Athens inside Phoenix approximately 34 times.

To put Athens's size in perspective, its area of 39 km² is about 1.5x smaller than Manhattan. Meanwhile, Phoenix at 1,341 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London.

Athens's footprint is roughly about 5,500 American football fields, 80 times the area of Vatican City, or 19 times the area of Monaco — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Phoenix works out to about 188,000 American football fields, 23 times the area of Manhattan, or 13 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 Phoenix

Phoenix is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, Phoenix is the fifth-most populous city in the United States and the most populous state capital. The Phoenix metropolitan area, with an estimated 5.19 million residents, is the tenth-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. and the most populous in the Mountain states and Southwest.

Nicknamed "Valley of the Sun", Phoenix has an area of 1,341 km² and is home to 1.6 million people. The city dates back to 1868. Visitors come for Camelback Mountain, Desert Botanical Garden, Heard Museum, and much more.

Phoenix is the most populous U.S. state capital and the fifth-largest city in the country with 1.6 million residents.

Population Density

Athens has a population density of 16,410 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Phoenix, with 1,201 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Athens is dramatically more crowded, with 13.7x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Athens fits inside Phoenix ~34 times

Density Gap

Athens is 13.7x more densely populated

History

Athens is ~8,868 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 Phoenix

Phoenix covers 1,341 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Los Angeles (1,302 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), Delhi (1,484 km²), or Mexico City (1,485 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Athens actually bigger than Phoenix?
Phoenix is 34.4 times larger than Athens by area. Phoenix covers 1,341 km² while Athens spans 39 km², a difference of 1,302 km².
How many times does Athens fit inside Phoenix?
Athens (39 km²) fits inside Phoenix (1,341 km²) approximately 34 times. That means Phoenix is 34.4x the area of Athens.
What is the population difference between Athens and Phoenix?
Phoenix has approximately 1.6 million people, while Athens has about 0.6 million. Phoenix has 1.0 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Athens or Phoenix?
Athens is more densely populated with 16,410 people per km², compared to 1,201 people per km².
Which city is older, Athens or Phoenix?
Athens is older, founded around -7000, while Phoenix was established around 1868 — a difference of about 8868 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 Phoenix

The straight-line distance from Athens to Phoenix is 10,853 km (6,744 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 16m.

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