City Map Compare/Brisbane vs Chennai
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Brisbane

15,826 km²

Chennai

427 km²

Brisbane vs Chennai - City Size Comparison

Brisbane vs Chennai - City Size Comparison

Brisbane

Australia

Area15,826 km²
Population2.71M
Density171 /km²
Elevation0 m
Founded1824
Chennai

India

Area427 km²
Population6.60M
Density15,457 /km²
Elevation6 m
Founded1639

Area Comparison

Brisbane is 37.1x larger than Chennai

Population Comparison

Brisbane has 2.4x fewer people than Chennai

Is Brisbane Bigger Than Chennai?

Brisbane is significantly larger, covering 37.1 times the area of Chennai. Brisbane spans 15,826 km² (6,110 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 15,399 km². You could fit Chennai inside Brisbane approximately 37 times.

To put Brisbane's size in perspective, its area of 15,826 km² is about 2.5x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Chennai at 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul.

In more relatable units, Brisbane's 15,826 km² is about 2,200,000 American football fields, 150 times the area of Paris, or 130 times the area of San Francisco. Chennai, by comparison, equals about 60,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Central Park, or 7 times the area of Manhattan.

About Brisbane

Brisbane is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Queensland and the third-most populous city in Australia, with a population of approximately 2.8 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of South East Queensland, a bio-geographical and urban region with an estimated population of 4.1 million as of 2024. The central business district is situated within a peninsula of the Brisbane River approximately 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from its mouth at Moreton Bay.

Known as "Brissy", Brisbane covers 15,826 km² with a population of 2.7 million. The city was established in 1824. Brisbane is known for Brisbane River, South Bank Parklands, Story Bridge, among other attractions.

Brisbane is Queensland's capital and Australia's third-most populous city with around 2.8 million residents.

About Chennai

Chennai, also known as Madras, is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. As per the 2011 Indian census, Chennai is the sixth-most-populous city in India and forms the fourth-most-populous urban agglomeration. The city is coterminous with Chennai district, which together with the adjoining suburbs constitutes the Chennai Metropolitan Area, one of the largest metropolitan areas of India.

Nicknamed "Madras", Chennai has an area of 427 km² and is home to 6.6 million people. Its history stretches back to 1639. Visitors come for Marina Beach, Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Fort St. George, and much more.

Chennai, formerly Madras, is the capital of Tamil Nadu and the sixth-most-populous city in India.

Population Density

Brisbane has a population density of 171 people per km² — a low-density, sprawling urban area. Chennai, with 15,457 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Chennai is dramatically more crowded, with 90.4x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Chennai fits inside Brisbane ~37 times

Density Gap

Chennai is 90.4x more densely populated

History

Chennai is ~185 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Brisbane

Brisbane covers 15,826 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Beijing (16,411 km²), Hangzhou (16,854 km²), Chengdu (14,378 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), or Xi'an (10,097 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Chennai

Chennai covers 427 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Vienna (415 km²), Oslo (454 km²), Denver (401 km²), Portland (376 km²), or Philadelphia (370 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Brisbane or Chennai?
Brisbane is 37.1 times larger than Chennai by area. Brisbane covers 15,826 km² while Chennai spans 427 km², a difference of 15,399 km².
How many times does Chennai fit inside Brisbane?
Chennai (427 km²) fits inside Brisbane (15,826 km²) approximately 37 times. That means Brisbane is 37.1x the area of Chennai.
What is the population difference between Brisbane and Chennai?
Chennai has approximately 6.6 million people, while Brisbane has about 2.7 million. Chennai has 3.9 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Brisbane or Chennai?
Chennai is more densely populated with 15,457 people per km², compared to 171 people per km².
Which city is older, Brisbane or Chennai?
Chennai is older, founded around 1639, while Brisbane was established around 1824 — a difference of about 185 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 Brisbane and Chennai

The straight-line distance from Brisbane to Chennai is 9,036 km (5,615 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 8m.

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