Barcelona
101 km²
London
1,572 km²
Spain
UK
Area Comparison
Barcelona is 15.6x smaller than London
Population Comparison
Barcelona has 5.4x fewer people than London
Yes — London is 15.6x larger than Barcelona by area. London spans 1,572 km² (607 mi²) while Barcelona covers 101 km² (39 mi²) — a difference of 1,471 km². You could fit Barcelona inside London approximately 15 times.
To put Barcelona's size in perspective, its area of 101 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, London at 1,572 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Tokyo (city proper).
Picture Barcelona another way: its area is large enough to fit about 14,000 American football fields, 50 times the area of Monaco, or 30 times the area of Central Park. London works out to about 220,000 American football fields, 27 times the area of Manhattan, or 15 times the area of Paris.
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.
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of 9.1 million people in 2024. Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 15.1 million. London stands on the River Thames in southeast England, at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) tidal estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years.
Often called "The Big Smoke", London has an area of 1,572 km² and is home to 9.0 million people. The city dates back to 43. Visitors come for Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, and much more. Getting around is easy with the London Underground.
London has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years, tracing its roots back to Roman times around 47 AD.
Looking beyond city limits, the London metropolitan area covers 8,382 km², which is 10.4x larger than greater Barcelona at 803 km². The London metro area is also more populous, with 14.3 million people compared to 5.6 million.
Barcelona has a population density of 16,436 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. London, with 5,712 people per km², is a densely populated city. Barcelona is noticeably denser, packing 2.9 times more people per square kilometer.
Both cities are in Europe, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Barcelona (Spain) and London (UK) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate while London experiences oceanic conditions.
Size Ratio
Barcelona fits inside London ~15 times
Density Gap
Barcelona is 2.9x more densely populated
History
Barcelona is ~273 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).
London covers 1,572 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Bangkok (1,569 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), São Paulo (1,521 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), or Mexico City (1,485 km²).
The straight-line distance from Barcelona to London is 1,139 km (708 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 50m.
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