City Map Compare/Brussels vs São Paulo
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Brussels

161 km²

São Paulo

1,521 km²

Brussels vs São Paulo - City Size Comparison

Brussels vs São Paulo - City Size Comparison

Brussels

Belgium

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

Brazil

Area1,521 km²
Population12.33M
Density8,107 /km²
Elevation760 m
Metro Pop.22.0M
Founded1554
Climatehumid subtropical

Area Comparison

Brussels is 9.4x smaller than São Paulo

Population Comparison

Brussels has 9.8x fewer people than São Paulo

Is Brussels Bigger Than São Paulo?

São Paulo is significantly larger, covering 9.4 times the area of Brussels. São Paulo spans 1,521 km² (587 mi²) while Brussels covers 161 km² (62 mi²) — a difference of 1,360 km². You could fit Brussels inside São Paulo approximately 9 times.

To put Brussels's size in perspective, its area of 161 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C.. Meanwhile, São Paulo at 1,521 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. São Paulo, by comparison, equals about 213,000 American football fields, 26 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 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 São Paulo

São Paulo is the capital city of the state of the same name, as well as the most populous city in Brazil, South America, the Americas, and in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. The city exerts international influence in commerce, finance, culture, gastronomy, arts, fashion, technology, entertainment and media, having been listed by UNESCO's Creative Cities Network as a "City of Film" and the title of "World Capital of Gastronomy", and by the Globalization and World Cities Research…

Also known as "Sampa", São Paulo has an area of 1,521 km² and is home to 12.3 million people. Its history stretches back to 1554. Visitors come for Avenida Paulista, Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo Museum of Art, and much more. Getting around is easy with the São Paulo Metro.

São Paulo is the most populous city in Brazil, the Americas, and both the Western and Southern Hemispheres.

Population Density

Brussels has a population density of 7,826 people per km² — a densely populated city. São Paulo, with 8,107 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though São Paulo is slightly more compact.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Brussels fits inside São Paulo ~9 times

History

São Paulo is ~435 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 São Paulo

São Paulo covers 1,521 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Mexico City (1,485 km²), Delhi (1,484 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bogotá (1,578 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brussels bigger than São Paulo?
São Paulo is 9.4 times larger than Brussels by area. São Paulo covers 1,521 km² while Brussels spans 161 km², a difference of 1,360 km².
How many times does Brussels fit inside São Paulo?
Brussels (161 km²) fits inside São Paulo (1,521 km²) approximately 9 times. That means São Paulo is 9.4x the area of Brussels.
What is the population difference between Brussels and São Paulo?
São Paulo has approximately 12.3 million people, while Brussels has about 1.3 million. São Paulo has 11.1 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Brussels or São Paulo?
São Paulo is more densely populated with 8,107 people per km², compared to 7,826 people per km².
Which city is older, Brussels or São Paulo?
São Paulo is older, founded around 1554, while Brussels was established around 1989 — a difference of about 435 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 São Paulo

The straight-line distance from Brussels to São Paulo is 9,660 km (6,002 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 52m.

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