Beijing
16,411 km²
Madrid
604 km²
China
Spain
Area Comparison
Beijing is 27.2x larger than Madrid
Population Comparison
Beijing has 6.5x more people than Madrid
Beijing is significantly larger, covering 27.2 times the area of Madrid. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Madrid covers 604 km² (233 mi²) — a difference of 15,807 km². You could fit Madrid inside Beijing approximately 27 times.
To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Madrid at 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
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 Madrid, that's about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
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.
Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. It had a population of over 3.4 million in the city proper in 2025, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU, after Paris. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 square kilometres (233.89 sq mi).
Also known as "La Villa y Corte", Madrid has an area of 604 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. Its history stretches back to 852. Visitors come for Royal Palace of Madrid, Prado Museum, Plaza Mayor, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Madrid Metro.
Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union after Berlin, with over 3.4 million residents in the city proper
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 2.0x larger than greater Madrid at 8,028 km². The Beijing metro area is also more populous, with 21.5 million people compared to 6.8 million.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Madrid, with 5,513 people per km², is a densely populated city. Madrid is dramatically more crowded, with 4.2x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Beijing in Asia versus Madrid in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Beijing has a humid continental climate while Madrid experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions. When it's noon in Beijing, it's 5:00 AM in Madrid — a 7-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Madrid fits inside Beijing ~27 times
Density Gap
Madrid is 4.2x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Beijing is ~1,897 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).
Madrid covers 604 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Chicago (606 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Beijing to Madrid is 9,222 km (5,731 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 21m.
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