Bangkok
1,569 km²
Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
Thailand
Brazil
Area Comparison
Bangkok is 1.3x larger than Rio de Janeiro
Population Comparison
Bangkok has 1.6x more people than Rio de Janeiro
In terms of area, Bangkok is 1.3x the size of Rio de Janeiro. Bangkok spans 1,569 km² (606 mi²) while Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km² (471 mi²) — a difference of 348 km².
To put Bangkok's size in perspective, its area of 1,569 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London.
Picture Bangkok another way: its area is large enough to fit about 220,000 American football fields, 27 times the area of Manhattan, or 15 times the area of Paris. Rio de Janeiro, by comparison, equals about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.
Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated population of 11.4 million people as of 2024, 15.9% of the country's population.
Known as "City of Angels", Bangkok covers 1,569 km² with a population of 10.5 million. The city was established in 1782. Bangkok is known for Grand Palace, Wat Arun, Wat Pho, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the BTS Skytrain & MRT.
Bangkok's official Thai name is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, with the full ceremonial name being one of the longest place names in the world.
Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous city in the Americas.
Often called "Cidade Maravilhosa", Rio de Janeiro has an area of 1,221 km² and is home to 6.8 million people. It was established in 1565. Visitors come for Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MetrôRio.
Rio de Janeiro is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous in the Americas.
Looking beyond city limits, the Bangkok metropolitan area covers 7,762 km², which is 1.2x larger than greater Rio de Janeiro at 6,744 km². The Bangkok metro area is also more populous, with 16.2 million people compared to 13.5 million.
Bangkok has a population density of 6,718 people per km² — a densely populated city. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Bangkok is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Bangkok in Asia versus Rio de Janeiro in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Both cities share a tropical savanna climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each. When it's noon in Bangkok, it's 2:00 AM in Rio de Janeiro — a 10-hour time difference.
Time Difference
10 hours apart
History
Rio de Janeiro is ~217 years older
Bangkok covers 1,569 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include London (1,572 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), São Paulo (1,521 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), or Mexico City (1,485 km²).
Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Lagos (1,172 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Los Angeles (1,302 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Bangkok to Rio de Janeiro is 16,060 km (9,979 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~19h 24m.
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