Beijing
16,411 km²
London
1,572 km²
China
UK
Area Comparison
Beijing is 10.4x larger than London
Population Comparison
Beijing has 2.4x more people than London
In terms of area, Beijing is 10.4x the size of London. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while London covers 1,572 km² (607 mi²) — a difference of 14,839 km². You could fit London inside Beijing approximately 10 times.
To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, London at 1,572 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Tokyo (city proper).
Beijing's footprint is roughly about 2,300,000 American football fields, 160 times the area of Paris, or 140 times the area of San Francisco — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. London works out to about 220,000 American football fields, 27 times the area of Manhattan, or 15 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.
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of 9.1 million people in 2024. Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 15.1 million. London stands on the River Thames in southeast England, at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) tidal estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years.
Nicknamed "The Big Smoke", London has an area of 1,572 km² and is home to 9.0 million people. The city dates back to 43. Visitors come for Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, and much more. Getting around is easy with the London Underground.
London has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years, tracing its roots back to Roman times around 47 AD.
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 2.0x larger than greater London at 8,382 km². The Beijing metro area is also more populous, with 21.5 million people compared to 14.3 million.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. London, with 5,712 people per km², is a densely populated city. London is dramatically more crowded, with 4.4x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Beijing in Asia versus London in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Beijing has a humid continental climate while London experiences oceanic conditions. When it's noon in Beijing, it's 4:00 AM in London — a 8-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
London fits inside Beijing ~10 times
Density Gap
London is 4.4x more densely populated
Time Difference
8 hours apart
History
Beijing is ~1,088 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).
London covers 1,572 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Bangkok (1,569 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), São Paulo (1,521 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), or Mexico City (1,485 km²).
The straight-line distance from Beijing to London is 8,141 km (5,059 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 5m.
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