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Egypt
China
Area Comparison
Cairo is 2.1x smaller than Shanghai
Population Comparison
Cairo has 2.5x fewer people than Shanghai
Yes — Shanghai is 2.1x larger than Cairo by area. Shanghai spans 6,341 km² (2,448 mi²) while Cairo covers 3,085 km² (1,191 mi²) — a difference of 3,256 km². You could fit Cairo inside Shanghai approximately 2 times.
To put Cairo's size in perspective, its area of 3,085 km² is about 1.2x the size of Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Shanghai at 6,341 km² is about 1.5x the size of Los Angeles metro.
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
China's largest city and a global financial hub. Often called "The Pearl of the Orient", Shanghai has an area of 6,341 km² and is home to 24.9 million people. It was established in 1291. Visitors come for The Bund waterfront, Pudong skyline, Yuyuan Garden, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shanghai Metro.
Shanghai's Maglev train reaches 431 km/h, the fastest commercial train in the world
Looking beyond city limits, the Cairo metropolitan area covers 6,588 km², which is 1.0x larger than greater Shanghai at 6,341 km². The Shanghai metro area is also more populous, with 28.5 million people compared to 21.3 million.
Cairo has a population density of 3,274 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Shanghai, with 3,922 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Shanghai is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Cairo in Africa versus Shanghai in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Cairo has a hot desert climate while Shanghai experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Shanghai, it's 6:00 AM in Cairo — a 6-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Cairo fits inside Shanghai ~2 times
Time Difference
6 hours apart
History
Cairo is ~322 years older
The straight-line distance from Cairo to Shanghai is 8,355 km (5,191 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 20m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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