Berlin
892 km²
Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
Germany
Brazil
Area Comparison
Berlin is 1.4x smaller than Rio de Janeiro
Population Comparison
Berlin has 1.8x fewer people than Rio de Janeiro
In terms of area, Rio de Janeiro is 1.4x the size of Berlin. Rio de Janeiro spans 1,221 km² (471 mi²) while Berlin covers 892 km² (344 mi²) — a difference of 329 km².
To put Berlin's size in perspective, its area of 892 km² is about 1.1x the size of New York City. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London.
Picture Berlin another way: its area is large enough to fit about 125,000 American football fields, 15 times the area of Manhattan, or 8 times the area of Paris. For Rio de Janeiro, that's about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.
Berlin is the capital of Germany, as well as its largest city by both area and population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the highest population within its city limits of any city in the European Union. The city is also one of the states of Germany, being the third-smallest state in the country by area. Berlin is surrounded by the state of Brandenburg, bordering Brandenburg's capital Potsdam to the southwest.
Berlin covers 892 km² with a population of 3.6 million. The city was established in 1237. Berlin is known for Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Wall, Reichstag Building, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the BVG (U-Bahn & S-Bahn).
Berlin holds the highest population within city limits of any city in the European Union, with 3.7 million inhabitants.
Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous city in the Americas.
Often called "Cidade Maravilhosa", Rio de Janeiro has an area of 1,221 km² and is home to 6.8 million people. Its history stretches back to 1565. Visitors come for Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MetrôRio.
Rio de Janeiro is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous in the Americas.
Looking beyond city limits, the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area covers 6,744 km², which is 1.8x larger than greater Berlin at 3,743 km². The Rio de Janeiro metro area is also more populous, with 13.5 million people compared to 6.1 million.
Berlin has a population density of 4,092 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Rio de Janeiro is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Berlin in Europe versus Rio de Janeiro in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Berlin has a oceanic climate while Rio de Janeiro experiences tropical savanna conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Rio de Janeiro stays around 21°C while Berlin drops to 1°C. When it's noon in Berlin, it's 8:00 AM in Rio de Janeiro — a 4-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Rio de Janeiro is 1.4x more densely populated
Time Difference
4 hours apart
History
Berlin is ~328 years older
Berlin covers 892 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Santiago (838 km²), Kyoto (828 km²), San Diego (964 km²), Abu Dhabi (972 km²), or Dallas (997 km²).
Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Lagos (1,172 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Los Angeles (1,302 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Berlin to Rio de Janeiro is 10,009 km (6,219 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 16m.
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