City Map Compare/Barcelona vs Oslo
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5 km
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Barcelona

101 km²

Oslo

454 km²

Barcelona vs Oslo - City Size Comparison

Barcelona vs Oslo - City Size Comparison

Barcelona

Spain

Area101 km²
Population1.66M
Density16,436 /km²
Elevation12 m
Metro Pop.5.6M
Founded230 BC
ClimateMediterranean
Oslo

Norway

Area454 km²
Population0.72M
Density1,586 /km²
Elevation23 m
Founded1048

Area Comparison

Barcelona is 4.5x smaller than Oslo

Population Comparison

Barcelona has 2.3x more people than Oslo

Is Barcelona Bigger Than Oslo?

Oslo is significantly larger, covering 4.5 times the area of Barcelona. Oslo spans 454 km² (175 mi²) while Barcelona covers 101 km² (39 mi²) — a difference of 353 km². You could fit Barcelona inside Oslo approximately 4 times.

To put Barcelona's size in perspective, its area of 101 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, Oslo at 454 km² is about 1.3x smaller than Seoul.

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 Oslo, that's about 64,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Central Park, or 8 times the area of Manhattan.

About Barcelona

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.

About Oslo

Oslo is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of 724,290 in 2025, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,110,887 in 2025, and the metropolitan area had an estimated population of 1,546,706 in 2021.

Also known as "Tigerstaden", Oslo has an area of 454 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1048. Visitors come for Vigeland Park, Oslo Opera House, Akershus Fortress, and much more.

Oslo is both a county and a municipality, with the city itself home to about 724,000 residents in 2025.

Population Density

Barcelona has a population density of 16,436 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Oslo, with 1,586 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Barcelona is dramatically more crowded, with 10.4x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Barcelona fits inside Oslo ~4 times

Density Gap

Barcelona is 10.4x more densely populated

History

Barcelona is ~1,278 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Barcelona

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Oslo

Oslo covers 454 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Prague (496 km²), Vienna (415 km²), Montreal (498 km²), Denver (401 km²), or Warsaw (517 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Barcelona bigger than Oslo?
Oslo is 4.5 times larger than Barcelona by area. Oslo covers 454 km² while Barcelona spans 101 km², a difference of 353 km².
How many times does Barcelona fit inside Oslo?
Barcelona (101 km²) fits inside Oslo (454 km²) approximately 4 times. That means Oslo is 4.5x the area of Barcelona.
What is the population difference between Barcelona and Oslo?
Barcelona has approximately 1.7 million people, while Oslo has about 0.7 million. Barcelona has 0.9 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Barcelona or Oslo?
Barcelona is more densely populated with 16,436 people per km², compared to 1,586 people per km².
Which city is older, Barcelona or Oslo?
Barcelona is older, founded around -230, while Oslo was established around 1048 — a difference of about 1278 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 Barcelona and Oslo

The straight-line distance from Barcelona to Oslo is 2,143 km (1,331 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 1m.

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