Barcelona
101 km²
Beijing
16,411 km²
Spain
China
Area Comparison
Barcelona is 162.5x smaller than Beijing
Population Comparison
Barcelona has 13.0x fewer people than Beijing
Yes — Beijing is 162.5x larger than Barcelona by area. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Barcelona covers 101 km² (39 mi²) — a difference of 16,310 km². You could fit Barcelona inside Beijing approximately 162 times.
To put Barcelona's size in perspective, its area of 101 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, Beijing at 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai.
In more relatable units, Barcelona's 101 km² is about 14,000 American football fields, 50 times the area of Monaco, or 30 times the area of Central Park. For Beijing, that's about 2,300,000 American football fields, 160 times the area of Paris, or 140 times the area of San Francisco.
Barcelona is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.7 million within city limits, its urban area extends to numerous neighbouring municipalities within the province of Barcelona and is home to around 5.7 million people, making it the fifth most populous urban area of the European Union after Paris, the Ruhr area, Madrid and Milan.
Known as "Ciutat Comtal", Barcelona covers 101 km² with a population of 1.7 million. The city was founded around 230 BC. Barcelona is known for Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, La Rambla, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Barcelona Metro (TMB).
Barcelona is the second-most populous municipality in Spain and the capital of the autonomous community of Catalonia.
Beijing, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's most populous national capital city, as well as China's second-largest city by urban area, after Shanghai. It is located in Northern China, and is governed as a municipality under the direct administration of the State Council with 16 urban districts.
Nicknamed "Northern Capital", Beijing has an area of 16,411 km² and is home to 21.5 million people. Its history stretches back to 1045 BC. Visitors come for Forbidden City, Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Beijing Subway.
With over 22 million residents, Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city.
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 20.4x larger than greater Barcelona at 803 km². The Beijing metro area is also more populous, with 21.5 million people compared to 5.6 million.
Barcelona has a population density of 16,436 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Beijing, with 1,313 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Barcelona is dramatically more crowded, with 12.5x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Barcelona in Europe versus Beijing in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate while Beijing experiences humid continental conditions. When it's noon in Beijing, it's 5:00 AM in Barcelona — a 7-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Barcelona fits inside Beijing ~162 times
Density Gap
Barcelona is 12.5x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Beijing is ~815 years older
Barcelona covers 101 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Lisbon (100 km²), Paris (105 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), Vancouver (115 km²), or Zurich (88 km²).
Beijing covers 16,411 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hangzhou (16,854 km²), Brisbane (15,826 km²), Chengdu (14,378 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), or Xi'an (10,097 km²).
The straight-line distance from Barcelona to Beijing is 8,804 km (5,470 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 51m.
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