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Egypt
China
Area Comparison
Cairo is 1.5x larger than Shenzhen
Population Comparison
Cairo has 1.7x fewer people than Shenzhen
In terms of area, Cairo is 1.5x the size of Shenzhen. Cairo spans 3,085 km² (1,191 mi²) while Shenzhen covers 1,997 km² (771 mi²) — a difference of 1,088 km².
To put Cairo's size in perspective, its area of 3,085 km² is about 1.2x the size of Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Shenzhen at 1,997 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
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 tech capital and a major innovation hub. Nicknamed "China's Silicon Valley", Shenzhen has an area of 1,997 km² and is home to 17.6 million people. The city dates back to 1979. Visitors come for Tech industry (Huawei, Tencent, DJI), Shenzhen Bay, Window of the World theme park, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shenzhen Metro.
Shenzhen grew from a fishing village of 30,000 people to a megacity of 17 million in just 40 years
Looking beyond city limits, the Cairo metropolitan area covers 6,588 km², which is 3.3x larger than greater Shenzhen at 1,997 km². The Cairo metro area is also more populous, with 21.3 million people compared to 17.6 million.
Cairo has a population density of 3,274 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Shenzhen, with 8,793 people per km², is a densely populated city. Shenzhen is noticeably denser, packing 2.7 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Cairo in Africa versus Shenzhen in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Cairo has a hot desert climate while Shenzhen experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Shenzhen, it's 6:00 AM in Cairo — a 6-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Shenzhen is 2.7x more densely populated
Time Difference
6 hours apart
History
Cairo is ~1,010 years older
The straight-line distance from Cairo to Shenzhen is 8,121 km (5,046 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 3m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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