City Map Compare/Brussels vs Johannesburg
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Brussels

161 km²

Johannesburg

1,644 km²

Brussels vs Johannesburg - City Size Comparison

Brussels vs Johannesburg - City Size Comparison

Brussels

Belgium

Area161 km²
Population1.26M
Density7,826 /km²
Elevation13 m
Founded1989
Johannesburg

South Africa

Area1,644 km²
Population4.80M
Density2,920 /km²
Elevation1,753 m
Founded1886

Area Comparison

Brussels is 10.2x smaller than Johannesburg

Population Comparison

Brussels has 3.8x fewer people than Johannesburg

Is Brussels Bigger Than Johannesburg?

Yes — Johannesburg is 10.2x larger than Brussels by area. Johannesburg spans 1,644 km² (635 mi²) while Brussels covers 161 km² (62 mi²) — a difference of 1,483 km². You could fit Brussels inside Johannesburg approximately 10 times.

To put Brussels's size in perspective, its area of 161 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C.. Meanwhile, Johannesburg at 1,644 km² is roughly the same size as London.

Picture Brussels another way: its area is large enough to fit about 23,000 American football fields, 80 times the area of Monaco, or 47 times the area of Central Park. Johannesburg, by comparison, equals about 230,000 American football fields, 28 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris.

About Brussels

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.

About Johannesburg

Johannesburg, colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg or "The City of Gold", is the most populous city in South Africa. The City of Johannesburg itself has a population of 5,538,596, while the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality has a population of 6,599,190, making it one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, and seat of the country's highest court, the Constitutional Court.

Also known as "Jozi", Johannesburg has an area of 1,644 km² and is home to 4.8 million people. It was established in 1886. Visitors come for Apartheid Museum, Soweto township, Constitutional Court, and much more.

Johannesburg ranks among the world's 100 largest urban areas, with a metro population of about 6.6 million.

Population Density

Brussels has a population density of 7,826 people per km² — a densely populated city. Johannesburg, with 2,920 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Brussels is noticeably denser, packing 2.7 times more people per square kilometer.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Brussels fits inside Johannesburg ~10 times

Density Gap

Brussels is 2.7x more densely populated

History

Johannesburg is ~103 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Brussels

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Johannesburg

Johannesburg covers 1,644 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Bogotá (1,578 km²), London (1,572 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), Houston (1,725 km²), or São Paulo (1,521 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brussels actually bigger than Johannesburg?
Johannesburg is 10.2 times larger than Brussels by area. Johannesburg covers 1,644 km² while Brussels spans 161 km², a difference of 1,483 km².
How many times does Brussels fit inside Johannesburg?
Brussels (161 km²) fits inside Johannesburg (1,644 km²) approximately 10 times. That means Johannesburg is 10.2x the area of Brussels.
What is the population difference between Brussels and Johannesburg?
Johannesburg has approximately 4.8 million people, while Brussels has about 1.3 million. Johannesburg has 3.5 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Brussels or Johannesburg?
Brussels is more densely populated with 7,826 people per km², compared to 2,920 people per km².
Which city is older, Brussels or Johannesburg?
Johannesburg is older, founded around 1886, while Brussels was established around 1989 — a difference of about 103 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 Brussels and Johannesburg

The straight-line distance from Brussels to Johannesburg is 8,878 km (5,517 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 57m.

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