City Map Compare/Barcelona vs Seattle
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5 km
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Barcelona

101 km²

Seattle

369 km²

Barcelona vs Seattle - City Size Comparison

Barcelona vs Seattle - City Size Comparison

Barcelona

Spain

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

United States

Area369 km²
Population0.74M
Density2,005 /km²
Elevation40 m
Founded1851

Area Comparison

Barcelona is 3.7x smaller than Seattle

Population Comparison

Barcelona has 2.2x more people than Seattle

Is Barcelona Bigger Than Seattle?

In terms of area, Seattle is 3.7x the size of Barcelona. Seattle spans 369 km² (142 mi²) while Barcelona covers 101 km² (39 mi²) — a difference of 268 km². You could fit Barcelona inside Seattle approximately 3 times.

To put Barcelona's size in perspective, its area of 101 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, Seattle at 369 km² is about 1.6x smaller than Seoul.

Barcelona's footprint is roughly about 14,000 American football fields, 50 times the area of Monaco, or 30 times the area of Central Park — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Seattle, by comparison, equals about 52,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Monaco, or 110 times the area of Central Park.

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 Seattle

Seattle is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It is the 18th-most populous city in the United States with a population of 780,995 in 2024, while the Seattle metropolitan area at over 4.15 million residents is the 15th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation. The city is the county seat of King County, the most populous county in Washington.

Nicknamed "The Emerald City", Seattle has an area of 369 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. It was established in 1851. Visitors come for Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Starbucks headquarters, and much more.

Seattle is Washington's most populous city with 780,995 residents in 2024, anchoring the Pacific Northwest.

Population Density

Barcelona has a population density of 16,436 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Seattle, with 2,005 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Barcelona is dramatically more crowded, with 8.2x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Barcelona fits inside Seattle ~3 times

Density Gap

Barcelona is 8.2x more densely populated

History

Barcelona is ~2,081 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 Seattle

Seattle covers 369 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Philadelphia (370 km²), Dhaka (368 km²), Portland (376 km²), Atlanta (348 km²), or Denver (401 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Barcelona actually bigger than Seattle?
Seattle is 3.7 times larger than Barcelona by area. Seattle covers 369 km² while Barcelona spans 101 km², a difference of 268 km².
How many times does Barcelona fit inside Seattle?
Barcelona (101 km²) fits inside Seattle (369 km²) approximately 3 times. That means Seattle is 3.7x the area of Barcelona.
What is the population difference between Barcelona and Seattle?
Barcelona has approximately 1.7 million people, while Seattle has about 0.7 million. Barcelona has 0.9 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Barcelona or Seattle?
Barcelona is more densely populated with 16,436 people per km², compared to 2,005 people per km².
Which city is older, Barcelona or Seattle?
Barcelona is older, founded around -230, while Seattle was established around 1851 — a difference of about 2081 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 Seattle

The straight-line distance from Barcelona to Seattle is 8,713 km (5,414 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 45m.

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