City Map Compare/Beijing vs Brussels
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Beijing

16,411 km²

Brussels

161 km²

Beijing vs Brussels - City Size Comparison

Beijing vs Brussels - City Size Comparison

Beijing

China

Area16,411 km²
Population21.54M
Density1,313 /km²
Elevation43 m
Metro Pop.21.5M
Founded1045 BC
Climatehumid continental
Brussels

Belgium

Area161 km²
Population1.26M
Density7,826 /km²
Elevation13 m
Founded1989

Area Comparison

Beijing is 101.9x larger than Brussels

Population Comparison

Beijing has 17.1x more people than Brussels

Is Beijing Bigger Than Brussels?

Beijing is significantly larger, covering 101.9 times the area of Brussels. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Brussels covers 161 km² (62 mi²) — a difference of 16,250 km². You could fit Brussels inside Beijing approximately 101 times.

To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Brussels at 161 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..

Picture Beijing another way: its area is large enough to fit about 2,300,000 American football fields, 160 times the area of Paris, or 140 times the area of San Francisco. Brussels works out to about 23,000 American football fields, 80 times the area of Monaco, or 47 times the area of Central Park.

About Beijing

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.

About Brussels

Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium. The Brussels-Capital Region is located in the central portion of the country. It is a part of both the French Community of Belgium and the Flemish Community, and is separate from the Flemish Region (Flanders), within which it forms an enclave, and the Walloon Region (Wallonia), located less than 4 km (2.5 mi) south.

Nicknamed "Capital of Europe", Brussels has an area of 161 km² and is home to 1.3 million people. It was established in 1989. Visitors come for Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Atomium, and much more.

The Brussels-Capital Region comprises 19 municipalities and forms an enclave entirely within the Flemish Region.

Population Density

Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Brussels, with 7,826 people per km², is a densely populated city. Brussels is dramatically more crowded, with 6.0x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Brussels fits inside Beijing ~101 times

Density Gap

Brussels is 6.0x more densely populated

History

Beijing is ~3,034 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Beijing

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Brussels

Brussels covers 161 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Minneapolis (149 km²), Washington D.C. (177 km²), Miami (143 km²), Stockholm (188 km²), or Buenos Aires (203 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Beijing or Brussels?
Beijing is 101.9 times larger than Brussels by area. Beijing covers 16,411 km² while Brussels spans 161 km², a difference of 16,250 km².
How many times does Brussels fit inside Beijing?
Brussels (161 km²) fits inside Beijing (16,411 km²) approximately 101 times. That means Beijing is 101.9x the area of Brussels.
What is the population difference between Beijing and Brussels?
Beijing has approximately 21.5 million people, while Brussels has about 1.3 million. Beijing has 20.3 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Beijing or Brussels?
Brussels is more densely populated with 7,826 people per km², compared to 1,313 people per km².
Which city is older, Beijing or Brussels?
Beijing is older, founded around -1045, while Brussels was established around 1989 — a difference of about 3034 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 Beijing and Brussels

The straight-line distance from Beijing to Brussels is 7,962 km (4,947 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 52m.

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