Beijing
16,411 km²
Taipei
272 km²
China
Taiwan
Area Comparison
Beijing is 60.3x larger than Taipei
Population Comparison
Beijing has 8.1x more people than Taipei
Yes — Beijing is 60.3x larger than Taipei by area. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Taipei covers 272 km² (105 mi²) — a difference of 16,139 km². You could fit Taipei inside Beijing approximately 60 times.
To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Taipei at 272 km² is about 1.2x the size of Amsterdam.
Picture Beijing another way: its area is large enough to fit about 2,300,000 American football fields, 160 times the area of Paris, or 140 times the area of San Francisco. Taipei, by comparison, equals about 38,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Monaco, or 80 times the area of Central Park.
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.
Taipei, officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of Taiwan. Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of the northern port city of Keelung. Most of the city rests on the Taipei Basin, an ancient lakebed. The basin is bounded by the relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung and Xindian rivers, which join to form the Tamsui River along the city's western border.
Taipei has an area of 272 km² and is home to 2.6 million people. It was established in 1709. Visitors come for Taipei 101 tower, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial, Shilin Night Market, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Taipei Metro (MRT).
Most of Taipei rests on the Taipei Basin, an ancient lakebed bounded by narrow river valleys.
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 6.7x larger than greater Taipei at 2,458 km². The Beijing metro area is also more populous, with 21.5 million people compared to 7.0 million.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Taipei, with 9,743 people per km², is a densely populated city. Taipei is dramatically more crowded, with 7.4x the population density.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Beijing (China) and Taipei (Taiwan) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Beijing has a humid continental climate while Taipei experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Taipei stays around 16°C while Beijing drops to -3°C.
Size Ratio
Taipei fits inside Beijing ~60 times
Density Gap
Taipei is 7.4x more densely populated
History
Beijing is ~2,754 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).
Taipei covers 272 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Edinburgh (259 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), Munich (311 km²), Boston (232 km²), or Osaka (225 km²).
The straight-line distance from Beijing to Taipei is 1,722 km (1,070 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 32m.
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