Brussels
161 km²
Manila
43 km²
Belgium
Philippines
Area Comparison
Brussels is 3.7x larger than Manila
Population Comparison
Brussels has 1.5x fewer people than Manila
In terms of area, Brussels is 3.7x the size of Manila. Brussels spans 161 km² (62 mi²) while Manila covers 43 km² (17 mi²) — a difference of 118 km². You could fit Manila inside Brussels 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, Manila at 43 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Manhattan.
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. Manila works out to about 6,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Vatican City, or 21 times the area of Monaco.
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.
Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 1,902,590 people. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on the island of Luzon, it is classified as a highly urbanized city. With 44,935 inhabitants per square kilometer (116,380/sq mi), Manila is one of the world's most densely populated cities proper.
Also known as "Pearl of the Orient", Manila has an area of 43 km² and is home to 1.9 million people. It was established in 1571. Visitors come for Intramuros walled city, Rizal Park, Manila Bay, and much more. Getting around is easy with the LRT & MRT Manila.
Manila has 44,935 inhabitants per square kilometer, making it one of the world's most densely populated cities proper.
Brussels has a population density of 7,826 people per km² — a densely populated city. Manila, with 43,023 people per km², is one of the most densely packed urban areas on Earth. Manila is dramatically more crowded, with 5.5x the population density.
Size Ratio
Manila fits inside Brussels ~3 times
Density Gap
Manila is 5.5x more densely populated
History
Manila is ~418 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).
Manila covers 43 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Athens (39 km²), Tel Aviv (52 km²), Zurich (88 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), or Lisbon (100 km²).
The straight-line distance from Brussels to Manila is 10,508 km (6,529 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 52m.
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