Brussels
161 km²
Chicago
606 km²
Belgium
USA
Area Comparison
Brussels is 3.8x smaller than Chicago
Population Comparison
Brussels has 2.1x fewer people than Chicago
Yes — Chicago is 3.8x larger than Brussels by area. Chicago spans 606 km² (234 mi²) while Brussels covers 161 km² (62 mi²) — a difference of 445 km². You could fit Brussels inside Chicago approximately 3 times.
To put Brussels's size in perspective, its area of 161 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C.. Meanwhile, Chicago at 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
In more relatable units, Brussels's 161 km² is about 23,000 American football fields, 80 times the area of Monaco, or 47 times the area of Central Park. Chicago, by comparison, equals about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium. The Brussels-Capital Region is located in the central portion of the country. It is a part of both the French Community of Belgium and the Flemish Community, and is separate from the Flemish Region (Flanders), within which it forms an enclave, and the Walloon Region (Wallonia), located less than 4 km (2.5 mi) south.
Known as "Capital of Europe", Brussels covers 161 km² with a population of 1.3 million. The city was established in 1989. Brussels is known for Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Atomium, among other attractions.
The Brussels-Capital Region comprises 19 municipalities and forms an enclave entirely within the Flemish Region.
Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the third-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.74 million at the 2020 census. The Chicago metropolitan area has 9.41 million residents and is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country. Chicago is the seat of Cook County, the second-most populous county in the U.S.
Often called "The Windy City", Chicago has an area of 606 km² and is home to 2.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1833. Visitors come for Willis Tower, Millennium Park Bean, Navy Pier, and much more. Getting around is easy with the CTA (L train).
Chicago is the third-most populous city in the United States with 2.74 million residents at the 2020 census.
Brussels has a population density of 7,826 people per km² — a densely populated city. Chicago, with 4,455 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Brussels is noticeably denser, packing 1.8 times more people per square kilometer.
Size Ratio
Brussels fits inside Chicago ~3 times
Density Gap
Brussels is 1.8x more densely populated
History
Chicago is ~156 years older
Brussels covers 161 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Minneapolis (149 km²), Washington D.C. (177 km²), Miami (143 km²), Stockholm (188 km²), or Buenos Aires (203 km²).
Chicago covers 606 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Madrid (604 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Brussels to Chicago is 6,661 km (4,139 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~8h 20m.
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