Beijing
16,411 km²
Houston
1,725 km²
China
United States
Area Comparison
Beijing is 9.5x larger than Houston
Population Comparison
Beijing has 9.4x more people than Houston
Yes — Beijing is 9.5x larger than Houston by area. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Houston covers 1,725 km² (666 mi²) — a difference of 14,686 km². You could fit Houston inside Beijing approximately 9 times.
To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Houston at 1,725 km² is roughly the same size as London.
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 Houston, that's about 242,000 American football fields, 29 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris.
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.
Houston is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the Southern United States. It is the fourth-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.3 million at the 2020 census. The Greater Houston metropolitan area, at 7.8 million residents, is the fifth-most populous metropolitan area in the nation and second-most populous in Texas. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, Houston is the county seat of Harris County.
Nicknamed "Space City", Houston has an area of 1,725 km² and is home to 2.3 million people. The city dates back to 1836. Visitors come for NASA Johnson Space Center, Space Center Houston, Houston Astros, and much more.
Houston is the fourth-most populous US city with 2.3 million residents at the 2020 census, leading the entire South.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Houston, with 1,333 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Both cities have comparable density, though Houston is slightly more compact.
Size Ratio
Houston fits inside Beijing ~9 times
History
Beijing is ~2,881 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).
Houston covers 1,725 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Riyadh (1,798 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bangkok (1,569 km²).
The straight-line distance from Beijing to Houston is 11,603 km (7,210 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 9m.
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