Beijing
16,411 km²
Rome
1,285 km²
China
Italy
Area Comparison
Beijing is 12.8x larger than Rome
Population Comparison
Beijing has 7.5x more people than Rome
Beijing is significantly larger, covering 12.8 times the area of Rome. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Rome covers 1,285 km² (496 mi²) — a difference of 15,126 km². You could fit Rome 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, Rome at 1,285 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London.
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. For Rome, that's about 180,000 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.
Rome is the capital city and most populated comune (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special comune named Roma Capitale with a population of 2.7 million in an area of 1,287.36 km2 (497.1 mi2), Rome is the third most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. The Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, with a population of 4.2 million, is the most populous metropolitan city in Italy.
Often called "The Eternal City", Rome has an area of 1,285 km² and is home to 2.9 million people. The city dates back to 753 BC. Visitors come for Colosseum, Vatican City, Trevi Fountain, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Rome Metro.
Rome's special comune Roma Capitale spans 1,287 km2, making it the third most populous city in the EU within city limits
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 3.1x larger than greater Rome at 5,352 km². The Beijing metro area is also more populous, with 21.5 million people compared to 4.3 million.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Rome, with 2,233 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Rome is noticeably denser, packing 1.7 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Beijing in Asia versus Rome in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Beijing has a humid continental climate while Rome experiences Mediterranean conditions. When it's noon in Beijing, it's 5:00 AM in Rome — a 7-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Rome fits inside Beijing ~12 times
Density Gap
Rome is 1.7x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Beijing is ~292 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).
Rome covers 1,285 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Los Angeles (1,302 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 Rome is 8,125 km (5,049 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 4m.
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