Cape Town
2,455 km²
Houston
1,725 km²
South Africa
United States
Area Comparison
Cape Town is 1.4x larger than Houston
Population Comparison
Cape Town has 1.6x more people than Houston
Cape Town is significantly larger, covering 1.4 times the area of Houston. Cape Town spans 2,455 km² (948 mi²) while Houston covers 1,725 km² (666 mi²) — a difference of 730 km².
To put Cape Town's size in perspective, its area of 2,455 km² is roughly the same size as Moscow. Meanwhile, Houston at 1,725 km² is roughly the same size as London.
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. Houston, by comparison, equals about 242,000 American football fields, 29 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris.
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.
Houston is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the Southern United States. It is the fourth-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.3 million at the 2020 census. The Greater Houston metropolitan area, at 7.8 million residents, is the fifth-most populous metropolitan area in the nation and second-most populous in Texas. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, Houston is the county seat of Harris County.
Also known as "Space City", Houston has an area of 1,725 km² and is home to 2.3 million people. The city dates back to 1836. Visitors come for NASA Johnson Space Center, Space Center Houston, Houston Astros, and much more.
Houston is the fourth-most populous US city with 2.3 million residents at the 2020 census, leading the entire South.
Cape Town has a population density of 1,540 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Houston, with 1,333 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Both cities have comparable density, though Cape Town is slightly more compact.
History
Cape Town is ~184 years older
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).
Houston covers 1,725 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Riyadh (1,798 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bangkok (1,569 km²).
The straight-line distance from Cape Town to Houston is 13,853 km (8,608 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~16h 48m.
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