Beijing
16,411 km²
Nairobi
696 km²
China
Kenya
Area Comparison
Beijing is 23.6x larger than Nairobi
Population Comparison
Beijing has 4.6x more people than Nairobi
Yes — Beijing is 23.6x larger than Nairobi by area. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Nairobi covers 696 km² (269 mi²) — a difference of 15,715 km². You could fit Nairobi inside Beijing approximately 23 times.
To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Nairobi at 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City.
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 Nairobi, that's about 97,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 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.
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya, located in the south-central part of the country. As of 2024, it has a population of 4.8 million and a metropolitan population of 5.7 million, making it the 11th most populous city in Africa. Nicknamed the "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi is uniquely notable for being the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries. Its name originates from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, meaning "place of cool waters".
Often called "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi has an area of 696 km² and is home to 4.7 million people. The city dates back to 1899. Visitors come for Nairobi National Park, Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Nairobi Commuter Rail.
Nairobi is the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries.
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 23.6x larger than greater Nairobi at 696 km². The Beijing metro area is also more populous, with 21.5 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Nairobi, with 6,796 people per km², is a densely populated city. Nairobi is dramatically more crowded, with 5.2x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Beijing in Asia versus Nairobi in Africa. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Beijing has a humid continental climate while Nairobi experiences subtropical highland conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Nairobi stays around 17°C while Beijing drops to -3°C. When it's noon in Beijing, it's 7:00 AM in Nairobi — a 5-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Nairobi fits inside Beijing ~23 times
Density Gap
Nairobi is 5.2x more densely populated
Time Difference
5 hours apart
History
Beijing is ~2,944 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).
Nairobi covers 696 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Tehran (730 km²), Jakarta (662 km²), Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Beijing to Nairobi is 9,214 km (5,726 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 20m.
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