Beijing
16,411 km²
Sydney
12,368 km²
China
Australia
Area Comparison
Beijing is 1.3x larger than Sydney
Population Comparison
Beijing has 4.1x more people than Sydney
In terms of area, Beijing is 1.3x the size of Sydney. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Sydney covers 12,368 km² (4,775 mi²) — a difference of 4,043 km².
To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Sydney at 12,368 km² is about 2.0x the size of Shanghai.
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. Sydney works out to about 1,700,000 American football fields, 120 times the area of Paris, or 100 times the area of San Francisco.
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.
Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and is the most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Hawkesbury River in the north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west.
Nicknamed "Sydneysiders", Sydney has an area of 12,368 km² and is home to 5.3 million people. The city dates back to 1788. Visitors come for Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Sydney Trains.
Sydney stretches roughly 80 km from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west.
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 1.3x larger than greater Sydney at 12,368 km². The Beijing metro area is also more populous, with 21.5 million people compared to 5.3 million.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Sydney, with 429 people per km², is a low-density, sprawling urban area. Beijing is dramatically more crowded, with 3.1x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Beijing in Asia versus Sydney in Oceania. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Beijing has a humid continental climate while Sydney experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Sydney stays around 13°C while Beijing drops to -3°C. When it's noon in Sydney, it's 10:00 AM in Beijing — a 2-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Beijing is 3.1x more densely populated
History
Beijing is ~2,833 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).
Sydney covers 12,368 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Chengdu (14,378 km²), Xi'an (10,097 km²), Melbourne (9,993 km²), Brisbane (15,826 km²), or Beijing (16,411 km²).
The straight-line distance from Beijing to Sydney is 8,948 km (5,560 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 2m.
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