Chengdu
14,378 km²
Dubai
4,114 km²
People's Republic of China
UAE
Area Comparison
Chengdu is 3.5x larger than Dubai
Population Comparison
Chengdu has 6.3x more people than Dubai
Chengdu is significantly larger, covering 3.5 times the area of Dubai. Chengdu spans 14,378 km² (5,551 mi²) while Dubai covers 4,114 km² (1,588 mi²) — a difference of 10,264 km². You could fit Dubai inside Chengdu approximately 3 times.
To put Chengdu's size in perspective, its area of 14,378 km² is about 2.3x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Dubai at 4,114 km² is roughly the same size as Rhode Island.
Chengdu's footprint is roughly about 2,000,000 American football fields, 140 times the area of Paris, or 120 times the area of San Francisco — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Dubai, by comparison, equals about 576,000 American football fields, 70 times the area of Manhattan, or 39 times the area of Paris.
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.
Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. It is on a creek on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf. As of 2025, its population stands at 4 million, 92% of whom are expatriates. The wider urban area includes Sharjah and has a population of 5 million people as of 2023, while the Dubai–Sharjah–Ajman metropolitan area has a population of 6 million people.
Also known as "City of Gold", Dubai has an area of 4,114 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. The city dates back to 1833. Visitors come for Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Mall, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Dubai Metro.
Dubai's population reached 4 million in 2025, with 92% of residents being expatriates rather than UAE nationals.
Chengdu has a population density of 1,456 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Dubai, with 809 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Chengdu is noticeably denser, packing 1.8 times more people per square kilometer.
Size Ratio
Dubai fits inside Chengdu ~3 times
Density Gap
Chengdu is 1.8x more densely populated
History
Chengdu is ~2,143 years older
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).
Dubai covers 4,114 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Karachi (3,527 km²), Hanoi (3,359 km²), Istanbul (5,461 km²), Cairo (3,085 km²), or Lima (2,672 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chengdu to Dubai is 4,795 km (2,979 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~6h 8m.
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