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

2,455 km²

Chennai

426,830,040 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

Area426,830,040 km²
Population6.60M
Density0 /km²
Elevation6 m
Founded1639

Area Comparison

Cape Town is 173861.5x smaller than Chennai

Population Comparison

Cape Town has 1.7x fewer people than Chennai

Is Cape Town Bigger Than Chennai?

Chennai is significantly larger, covering 173861.5 times the area of Cape Town. Chennai spans 426,830,040 km² (164,799,932 mi²) while Cape Town covers 2,455 km² (948 mi²) — a difference of 426,827,585 km². You could fit Cape Town inside Chennai approximately 173861 times.

To put Cape Town's size in perspective, its area of 2,455 km² is roughly the same size as Moscow.

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 59,780,100,000 American football fields.

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 426,830,040 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 0 people per km², is a low-density, sprawling urban area. Cape Town is dramatically more crowded, with Infinityx the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Cape Town fits inside Chennai ~173861 times

Density Gap

Cape Town is Infinityx 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 426,830,040 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Doha (132,000,000 km²), Dublin (114,990,000 km²), Hangzhou (16,854 km²), Beijing (16,411 km²), or Brisbane (15,826 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Cape Town or Chennai?
Chennai is 173861.5 times larger than Cape Town by area. Chennai covers 426,830,040 km² while Cape Town spans 2,455 km², a difference of 426,827,585 km².
How many times does Cape Town fit inside Chennai?
Cape Town (2,455 km²) fits inside Chennai (426,830,040 km²) approximately 173861 times. That means Chennai is 173861.5x the area of Cape Town.
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?
Cape Town is more densely populated with 1,540 people per km², compared to 0 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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