City Map Compare/Chengdu vs Rio de Janeiro
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Chengdu

14,378 km²

Rio de Janeiro

1,221 km²

Chengdu vs Rio de Janeiro - City Size Comparison

Chengdu vs Rio de Janeiro - City Size Comparison

Chengdu

People's Republic of China

Area14,378 km²
Population20.94M
Density1,456 /km²
Elevation500 m
Founded310 BC
Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

Area1,221 km²
Population6.75M
Density5,528 /km²
Elevation11 m
Metro Pop.13.5M
Founded1565
Climatetropical savanna

Area Comparison

Chengdu is 11.8x larger than Rio de Janeiro

Population Comparison

Chengdu has 3.1x more people than Rio de Janeiro

Is Chengdu Bigger Than Rio de Janeiro?

In terms of area, Chengdu is 11.8x the size of Rio de Janeiro. Chengdu spans 14,378 km² (5,551 mi²) while Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km² (471 mi²) — a difference of 13,157 km². You could fit Rio de Janeiro inside Chengdu approximately 11 times.

To put Chengdu's size in perspective, its area of 14,378 km² is about 2.3x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London.

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. Rio de Janeiro, by comparison, equals about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.

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 Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous city in the Americas.

Often called "Cidade Maravilhosa", Rio de Janeiro has an area of 1,221 km² and is home to 6.8 million people. It was established in 1565. Visitors come for Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MetrôRio.

Rio de Janeiro is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous in the Americas.

Population Density

Chengdu has a population density of 1,456 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. Rio de Janeiro is dramatically more crowded, with 3.8x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Rio de Janeiro fits inside Chengdu ~11 times

Density Gap

Rio de Janeiro is 3.8x more densely populated

History

Chengdu is ~1,875 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 Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Lagos (1,172 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Los Angeles (1,302 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Chengdu or Rio de Janeiro?
Chengdu is 11.8 times larger than Rio de Janeiro by area. Chengdu covers 14,378 km² while Rio de Janeiro spans 1,221 km², a difference of 13,157 km².
How many times does Rio de Janeiro fit inside Chengdu?
Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²) fits inside Chengdu (14,378 km²) approximately 11 times. That means Chengdu is 11.8x the area of Rio de Janeiro.
What is the population difference between Chengdu and Rio de Janeiro?
Chengdu has approximately 20.9 million people, while Rio de Janeiro has about 6.8 million. Chengdu has 14.2 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chengdu or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro is more densely populated with 5,528 people per km², compared to 1,456 people per km².
Which city is older, Chengdu or Rio de Janeiro?
Chengdu is older, founded around -310, while Rio de Janeiro was established around 1565 — a difference of about 1875 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 Rio de Janeiro

The straight-line distance from Chengdu to Rio de Janeiro is 16,664 km (10,354 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~20h 6m.

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