Beijing
16,411 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
China
USA
Area Comparison
Beijing is 92.7x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
Beijing has 31.2x more people than Washington D.C.
In terms of area, Beijing is 92.7x the size of Washington D.C.. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 16,234 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside Beijing approximately 92 times.
To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
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. For Washington D.C., that's about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 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.
Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia and commonly known as simply Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River across from Virginia and shares land borders with Maryland to its north and east. It was named after George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States.
Often called "D.C.", Washington D.C. has an area of 177 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1790. Visitors come for White House, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Washington Metro.
Washington D.C. sits on the Potomac River across from Virginia and is bordered by Maryland to its north and east
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 1.1x larger than greater Washington D.C. at 14,412 km². The Beijing metro area is also more populous, with 21.5 million people compared to 6.3 million.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Washington D.C. is noticeably denser, packing 3.0 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Beijing in Asia versus Washington D.C. in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Beijing has a humid continental climate while Washington D.C. experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Beijing, it's midnight in Washington D.C. — a 13-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside Beijing ~92 times
Density Gap
Washington D.C. is 3.0x more densely populated
Time Difference
13 hours apart
History
Beijing is ~2,835 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).
Washington D.C. covers 177 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Stockholm (188 km²), Brussels (161 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), Minneapolis (149 km²), or Helsinki (214 km²).
The straight-line distance from Beijing to Washington D.C. is 11,146 km (6,926 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 37m.
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