Cairo
3,085 km²
Istanbul
5,461 km²
Egypt
Turkey
Area Comparison
Cairo is 1.8x smaller than Istanbul
Population Comparison
Cairo has 1.5x fewer people than Istanbul
Istanbul is significantly larger, covering 1.8 times the area of Cairo. Istanbul spans 5,461 km² (2,109 mi²) while Cairo covers 3,085 km² (1,191 mi²) — a difference of 2,376 km².
To put Cairo's size in perspective, its area of 3,085 km² is about 1.2x the size of Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Istanbul at 5,461 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Shanghai.
Cairo's footprint is roughly about 432,000 American football fields, 52 times the area of Manhattan, or 29 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Istanbul, by comparison, equals about 765,000 American football fields, 92 times the area of Manhattan, or 52 times the area of Paris.
Cairo is the capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate. It is home to more than 9.8 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world, and the Middle East. The Greater Cairo metropolitan area is one of the largest in the world by population with over 22 million people. Areas of what would become Cairo were inhabited from pre-dynastic and early-dynastic ancient Egypt c.
Known as "The City of a Thousand Minarets", Cairo covers 3,085 km² with a population of 10.1 million. The city was established in 969. Cairo is known for Pyramids of Giza, Great Sphinx, Egyptian Museum, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Cairo Metro.
Cairo is home to more than 9.8 million people and is part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa and the Arab world.
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical center. With a population of over 15 million, it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is among the largest cities in Europe and in the world by population. It is a city on two continents; about two-thirds of its population live in Europe and the rest in Asia.
Often called "City on Two Continents", Istanbul has an area of 5,461 km² and is home to 15.5 million people. It was founded around 660 BC. Visitors come for Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Istanbul Metro.
Istanbul is one of the only major cities to span two continents, with about two-thirds of its population living in Europe and the rest in Asia.
Looking beyond city limits, the Cairo metropolitan area covers 6,588 km², which is 1.2x larger than greater Istanbul at 5,461 km². The Cairo metro area is also more populous, with 21.3 million people compared to 15.5 million.
Cairo has a population density of 3,274 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Istanbul, with 2,831 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Cairo is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Cairo in Africa versus Istanbul in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Cairo has a hot desert climate while Istanbul experiences oceanic conditions.
History
Istanbul is ~1,629 years older
Cairo covers 3,085 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hanoi (3,359 km²), Karachi (3,527 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), Moscow (2,511 km²), or Cape Town (2,455 km²).
Istanbul covers 5,461 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Shanghai (6,341 km²), Perth (6,417 km²), Dubai (4,114 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), or Karachi (3,527 km²).
The straight-line distance from Cairo to Istanbul is 1,236 km (768 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 57m.
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