City Map Compare/Chengdu vs Chennai
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5 km
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Chengdu

14,378 km²

Chennai

427 km²

Chengdu vs Chennai - City Size Comparison

Chengdu vs Chennai - City Size Comparison

Chengdu

China

Area14,378 km²
Population20.94M
Density1,456 /km²
Elevation500 m
Founded310 BC
Chennai

India

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

Area Comparison

Chengdu is 33.7x larger than Chennai

Population Comparison

Chengdu has 3.2x more people than Chennai

Is Chengdu Bigger Than Chennai?

In terms of area, Chengdu is 33.7x the size of Chennai. Chengdu spans 14,378 km² (5,551 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 13,951 km². You could fit Chennai inside Chengdu approximately 33 times.

To put Chengdu's size in perspective, its area of 14,378 km² is about 2.3x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Chennai at 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul.

Picture Chengdu another way: its area is large enough to fit about 2,000,000 American football fields, 140 times the area of Paris, or 120 times the area of San Francisco. 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 Chengdu

Chengdu is the capital city of the Chinese province of Sichuan. With a population of 20,937,757 at the 2020 census, it is the fourth most populous city in China, and it is the only city with a population of over 20 million apart from provincial-level municipalities. It is traditionally the hub of Western China.

Known as "Land of Abundance", Chengdu covers 14,378 km² with a population of 20.9 million. The city was founded around 310 BC. Chengdu is known for Giant Panda Breeding Base, Jinli Ancient Street, Wuhou Shrine, among other attractions.

Chengdu has a population of over 20.9 million, making it the fourth most populous city in China.

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. It was established in 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

Chengdu has a population density of 1,456 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 10.6x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Chennai fits inside Chengdu ~33 times

Density Gap

Chennai is 10.6x more densely populated

History

Chengdu is ~1,949 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Chengdu

Chengdu covers 14,378 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Brisbane (15,826 km²), Beijing (16,411 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), Hangzhou (16,854 km²), or Xi'an (10,097 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

Is Chengdu actually bigger than Chennai?
Chengdu is 33.7 times larger than Chennai by area. Chengdu covers 14,378 km² while Chennai spans 427 km², a difference of 13,951 km².
How many times does Chennai fit inside Chengdu?
Chennai (427 km²) fits inside Chengdu (14,378 km²) approximately 33 times. That means Chengdu is 33.7x the area of Chennai.
What is the population difference between Chengdu and Chennai?
Chengdu has approximately 20.9 million people, while Chennai has about 6.6 million. Chengdu has 14.3 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chengdu or Chennai?
Chennai is more densely populated with 15,457 people per km², compared to 1,456 people per km².
Which city is older, Chengdu or Chennai?
Chengdu is older, founded around -310, while Chennai was established around 1639 — a difference of about 1949 years.
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 Chengdu and Chennai

The straight-line distance from Chengdu to Chennai is 3,125 km (1,942 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~4h 11m.

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