Beijing
16,411 km²
Boston
232 km²
China
USA
Area Comparison
Beijing is 70.7x larger than Boston
Population Comparison
Beijing has 31.7x more people than Boston
Beijing is significantly larger, covering 70.7 times the area of Boston. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Boston covers 232 km² (90 mi²) — a difference of 16,179 km². You could fit Boston inside Beijing approximately 70 times.
To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Boston at 232 km² is roughly the same size as Amsterdam.
In more relatable units, Beijing's 16,411 km² is about 2,300,000 American football fields, 160 times the area of Paris, or 140 times the area of San Francisco. For Boston, that's about 32,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 68 times the area of Central Park.
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.
Known as "Northern Capital", Beijing covers 16,411 km² with a population of 21.5 million. The city was founded around 1045 BC. Beijing is known for Forbidden City, Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Beijing Subway.
With over 22 million residents, Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city.
Boston is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It serves as a cultural and financial center of New England, a region of the Northeastern United States. Boston has an area of 48.4 sq mi (125 km2) and a population of 675,647 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in the Northeastern United States after New York City and Philadelphia.
Also known as "Beantown", Boston has an area of 232 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1630. Visitors come for Fenway Park, Freedom Trail, Harvard University, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MBTA (The T).
Boston covers just 125 km2 yet serves as the cultural and financial heart of all New England
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 1.4x larger than greater Boston at 11,700 km². The Beijing metro area is also more populous, with 21.5 million people compared to 4.9 million.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Boston, with 2,931 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Boston is noticeably denser, packing 2.2 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Beijing in Asia versus Boston in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Both cities share a humid continental climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each. When it's noon in Beijing, it's midnight in Boston — a 13-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Boston fits inside Beijing ~70 times
Density Gap
Boston is 2.2x more densely populated
Time Difference
13 hours apart
History
Beijing is ~2,675 years older
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).
Boston covers 232 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Osaka (225 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), Amsterdam (219 km²), Helsinki (214 km²), or Edinburgh (259 km²).
The straight-line distance from Beijing to Boston is 10,837 km (6,734 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 15m.
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