Beijing
16,411 km²
Los Angeles
1,302 km²
China
USA
Area Comparison
Beijing is 12.6x larger than Los Angeles
Population Comparison
Beijing has 5.4x more people than Los Angeles
Beijing is significantly larger, covering 12.6 times the area of Los Angeles. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Los Angeles covers 1,302 km² (503 mi²) — a difference of 15,109 km². You could fit Los Angeles inside Beijing approximately 12 times.
To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Los Angeles at 1,302 km² is about 1.2x smaller than 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 Los Angeles, that's about 182,000 American football fields, 22 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 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.
Los Angeles (LA) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With an estimated 3.88 million residents within the city limits as of 2024, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, behind New York City, and the largest city in the Western United States. The city has an ethnically and culturally diverse population, and is the principal city of a metropolitan area of 12.9 million people (2024).
Often called "The City of Angels", Los Angeles has an area of 1,302 km² and is home to 4.0 million people. The city dates back to 1781. Visitors come for Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica Pier, Beverly Hills, and much more. Getting around is easy with the LA Metro.
Los Angeles is the second-most populous city in the United States, home to 3.88 million residents within city limits as of 2024.
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 1.3x larger than greater Los Angeles at 12,562 km². The Beijing metro area is also more populous, with 21.5 million people compared to 13.2 million.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Los Angeles, with 3,049 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Los Angeles is noticeably denser, packing 2.3 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Beijing in Asia versus Los Angeles in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Beijing has a humid continental climate while Los Angeles experiences Mediterranean conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Los Angeles stays around 14°C while Beijing drops to -3°C. When it's noon in Beijing, it's midnight in Los Angeles — a 16-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Los Angeles fits inside Beijing ~12 times
Density Gap
Los Angeles is 2.3x more densely populated
Time Difference
16 hours apart
History
Beijing is ~2,826 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).
Los Angeles covers 1,302 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Rome (1,285 km²), Phoenix (1,341 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), San Antonio (1,209 km²), or Lagos (1,172 km²).
The straight-line distance from Beijing to Los Angeles is 10,062 km (6,252 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 20m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.