City Map Compare/Cape Town vs Chennai
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5 km
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Cape Town

2,455 km²

Chennai

427 km²

Cape Town vs Chennai - City Size Comparison

Cape Town vs Chennai - City Size Comparison

Cape Town

South Africa

Area2,455 km²
Population3.78M
Density1,540 /km²
Elevation5 m
Founded1652
Chennai

India

Area427 km²
Population6.60M
Density15,457 /km²
Elevation6 m
Founded1639

Area Comparison

Cape Town is 5.7x larger than Chennai

Population Comparison

Cape Town has 1.7x fewer people than Chennai

Is Cape Town Bigger Than Chennai?

Cape Town is significantly larger, covering 5.7 times the area of Chennai. Cape Town spans 2,455 km² (948 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 2,028 km². You could fit Chennai inside Cape Town approximately 5 times.

To put Cape Town's size in perspective, its area of 2,455 km² is roughly the same size as Moscow. Meanwhile, Chennai at 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul.

In more relatable units, Cape Town's 2,455 km² is about 344,000 American football fields, 42 times the area of Manhattan, or 23 times the area of Paris. Chennai, by comparison, equals about 60,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Central Park, or 7 times the area of Manhattan.

About Cape Town

Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's second-largest city by population, after Johannesburg, and the largest city in the Western Cape. The city is part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality.

Known as "The Mother City", Cape Town covers 2,455 km² with a population of 3.8 million. The city was established in 1652. Cape Town is known for Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope, Robben Island, among other attractions.

Cape Town is South Africa's oldest city, founded in 1652 and home to the seat of the national Parliament.

About Chennai

Chennai, also known as Madras, is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. As per the 2011 Indian census, Chennai is the sixth-most-populous city in India and forms the fourth-most-populous urban agglomeration. The city is coterminous with Chennai district, which together with the adjoining suburbs constitutes the Chennai Metropolitan Area, one of the largest metropolitan areas of India.

Also known as "Madras", Chennai has an area of 427 km² and is home to 6.6 million people. The city dates back to 1639. Visitors come for Marina Beach, Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Fort St. George, and much more.

Chennai, formerly Madras, is the capital of Tamil Nadu and the sixth-most-populous city in India.

Population Density

Cape Town has a population density of 1,540 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Chennai, with 15,457 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Chennai is dramatically more crowded, with 10.0x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Chennai fits inside Cape Town ~5 times

Density Gap

Chennai is 10.0x more densely populated

Cities Similar in Size to Cape Town

Cape Town covers 2,455 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Moscow (2,511 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), or Shenzhen (1,997 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Chennai

Chennai covers 427 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Vienna (415 km²), Oslo (454 km²), Denver (401 km²), Portland (376 km²), or Philadelphia (370 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Cape Town or Chennai?
Cape Town is 5.7 times larger than Chennai by area. Cape Town covers 2,455 km² while Chennai spans 427 km², a difference of 2,028 km².
How many times does Chennai fit inside Cape Town?
Chennai (427 km²) fits inside Cape Town (2,455 km²) approximately 5 times. That means Cape Town is 5.7x the area of Chennai.
What is the population difference between Cape Town and Chennai?
Chennai has approximately 6.6 million people, while Cape Town has about 3.8 million. Chennai has 2.8 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Cape Town or Chennai?
Chennai is more densely populated with 15,457 people per km², compared to 1,540 people per km².
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 Cape Town and Chennai

The straight-line distance from Cape Town to Chennai is 8,365 km (5,198 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 20m.

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