City Map Compare/Beijing vs Seattle
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Beijing

16,411 km²

Seattle

369 km²

Beijing vs Seattle - City Size Comparison

Beijing vs Seattle - City Size Comparison

Beijing

China

Area16,411 km²
Population21.54M
Density1,313 /km²
Elevation43 m
Metro Pop.21.5M
Founded1045 BC
Climatehumid continental
Seattle

United States

Area369 km²
Population0.74M
Density2,005 /km²
Elevation40 m
Founded1851

Area Comparison

Beijing is 44.5x larger than Seattle

Population Comparison

Beijing has 29.1x more people than Seattle

Is Beijing Bigger Than Seattle?

In terms of area, Beijing is 44.5x the size of Seattle. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Seattle covers 369 km² (142 mi²) — a difference of 16,042 km². You could fit Seattle inside Beijing approximately 44 times.

To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Seattle at 369 km² is about 1.6x smaller than 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. Seattle works out to about 52,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Monaco, or 110 times the area of Central Park.

About Beijing

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.

About Seattle

Seattle is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It is the 18th-most populous city in the United States with a population of 780,995 in 2024, while the Seattle metropolitan area at over 4.15 million residents is the 15th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation. The city is the county seat of King County, the most populous county in Washington.

Also known as "The Emerald City", Seattle has an area of 369 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. It was established in 1851. Visitors come for Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Starbucks headquarters, and much more.

Seattle is Washington's most populous city with 780,995 residents in 2024, anchoring the Pacific Northwest.

Population Density

Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Seattle, with 2,005 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Seattle is noticeably denser, packing 1.5 times more people per square kilometer.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Seattle fits inside Beijing ~44 times

Density Gap

Seattle is 1.5x more densely populated

History

Beijing is ~2,896 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Beijing

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Seattle

Seattle covers 369 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Philadelphia (370 km²), Dhaka (368 km²), Portland (376 km²), Atlanta (348 km²), or Denver (401 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Beijing actually bigger than Seattle?
Beijing is 44.5 times larger than Seattle by area. Beijing covers 16,411 km² while Seattle spans 369 km², a difference of 16,042 km².
How many times does Seattle fit inside Beijing?
Seattle (369 km²) fits inside Beijing (16,411 km²) approximately 44 times. That means Beijing is 44.5x the area of Seattle.
What is the population difference between Beijing and Seattle?
Beijing has approximately 21.5 million people, while Seattle has about 0.7 million. Beijing has 20.8 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Beijing or Seattle?
Seattle is more densely populated with 2,005 people per km², compared to 1,313 people per km².
Which city is older, Beijing or Seattle?
Beijing is older, founded around -1045, while Seattle was established around 1851 — a difference of about 2896 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Beijing and Seattle

The straight-line distance from Beijing to Seattle is 8,690 km (5,400 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 43m.

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