City Map Compare/Brisbane vs Dubai
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5 km
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Brisbane

15,826 km²

Dubai

4,114 km²

Brisbane vs Dubai - City Size Comparison

Brisbane vs Dubai - City Size Comparison

Brisbane

Australia

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

UAE

Area4,114 km²
Population3.33M
Density809 /km²
Elevation5 m
Founded1833
Climatehot desert

Area Comparison

Brisbane is 3.8x larger than Dubai

Population Comparison

Brisbane has 1.2x fewer people than Dubai

Is Brisbane Bigger Than Dubai?

Brisbane is significantly larger, covering 3.8 times the area of Dubai. Brisbane spans 15,826 km² (6,110 mi²) while Dubai covers 4,114 km² (1,588 mi²) — a difference of 11,712 km². You could fit Dubai inside Brisbane approximately 3 times.

To put Brisbane's size in perspective, its area of 15,826 km² is about 2.5x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Dubai at 4,114 km² is roughly the same size as Rhode Island.

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. For Dubai, that's about 576,000 American football fields, 70 times the area of Manhattan, or 39 times the area of Paris.

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 Dubai

Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. It is on a creek on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf. As of 2025, its population stands at 4 million, 92% of whom are expatriates. The wider urban area includes Sharjah and has a population of 5 million people as of 2023, while the Dubai–Sharjah–Ajman metropolitan area has a population of 6 million people.

Also known as "City of Gold", Dubai has an area of 4,114 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. Its history stretches back to 1833. Visitors come for Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Mall, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Dubai Metro.

Dubai's population reached 4 million in 2025, with 92% of residents being expatriates rather than UAE nationals.

Population Density

Brisbane has a population density of 171 people per km² — a low-density, sprawling urban area. Dubai, with 809 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Dubai is dramatically more crowded, with 4.7x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Dubai fits inside Brisbane ~3 times

Density Gap

Dubai is 4.7x more densely populated

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 Dubai

Dubai covers 4,114 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Karachi (3,527 km²), Hanoi (3,359 km²), Istanbul (5,461 km²), Cairo (3,085 km²), or Lima (2,672 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brisbane bigger than Dubai?
Brisbane is 3.8 times larger than Dubai by area. Brisbane covers 15,826 km² while Dubai spans 4,114 km², a difference of 11,712 km².
How many times does Dubai fit inside Brisbane?
Dubai (4,114 km²) fits inside Brisbane (15,826 km²) approximately 3 times. That means Brisbane is 3.8x the area of Dubai.
What is the population difference between Brisbane and Dubai?
Dubai has approximately 3.3 million people, while Brisbane has about 2.7 million. Dubai has 0.6 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Brisbane or Dubai?
Dubai is more densely populated with 809 people per km², compared to 171 people per km².
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 Dubai

The straight-line distance from Brisbane to Dubai is 11,981 km (7,444 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 36m.

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