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Egypt
Kenya
Area Comparison
Cairo is 4.4x larger than Nairobi
Population Comparison
Cairo has 2.1x more people than Nairobi
In terms of area, Cairo is 4.4x the size of Nairobi. Cairo spans 3,085 km² (1,191 mi²) while Nairobi covers 696 km² (269 mi²) — a difference of 2,389 km². You could fit Nairobi inside Cairo approximately 4 times.
To put Cairo's size in perspective, its area of 3,085 km² is about 1.2x the size of Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Nairobi at 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City.
Egypt's capital and the largest city in the Arab world. 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, Egyptian Museum, Khan el-Khalili bazaar, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Cairo Metro.
Cairo is the only major city in the world where you can see ancient pyramids from the city center
Kenya's capital and East Africa's largest city. Nicknamed "The Green City in the Sun", Nairobi has an area of 696 km² and is home to 4.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1899. Visitors come for Nairobi National Park, Safari tourism, Karen Blixen Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Nairobi Commuter Rail.
Nairobi is the only capital city in the world with a national park within its borders — you can see lions with skyscrapers in the background
Looking beyond city limits, the Cairo metropolitan area covers 6,588 km², which is 9.5x larger than greater Nairobi at 696 km². The Cairo metro area is also more populous, with 21.3 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Cairo has a population density of 3,274 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Nairobi, with 6,796 people per km², is a densely populated city. Nairobi is noticeably denser, packing 2.1 times more people per square kilometer.
Both cities are in Africa, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Cairo (Egypt) and Nairobi (Kenya) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Cairo has a hot desert climate while Nairobi experiences subtropical highland conditions. Summers are notably different: Cairo averages 29°C compared to 20°C in Nairobi.
Size Ratio
Nairobi fits inside Cairo ~4 times
Density Gap
Nairobi is 2.1x more densely populated
History
Cairo is ~930 years older
The straight-line distance from Cairo to Nairobi is 3,534 km (2,196 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~4h 39m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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