City Map Compare/Chengdu vs Shenzhen
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Chengdu

14,378 km²

Shenzhen

1,997 km²

Chengdu vs Shenzhen - City Size Comparison

Chengdu vs Shenzhen - City Size Comparison

Chengdu

People's Republic of China

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

China

Area1,997 km²
Population17.56M
Density8,793 /km²
Elevation35 m
Metro Pop.17.6M
Founded1979
Climatehumid subtropical

Area Comparison

Chengdu is 7.2x larger than Shenzhen

Population Comparison

Chengdu has 1.2x more people than Shenzhen

Is Chengdu Bigger Than Shenzhen?

Yes — Chengdu is 7.2x larger than Shenzhen by area. Chengdu spans 14,378 km² (5,551 mi²) while Shenzhen covers 1,997 km² (771 mi²) — a difference of 12,381 km². You could fit Shenzhen inside Chengdu approximately 7 times.

To put Chengdu's size in perspective, its area of 14,378 km² is about 2.3x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Shenzhen at 1,997 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).

In more relatable units, Chengdu's 14,378 km² is about 2,000,000 American football fields, 140 times the area of Paris, or 120 times the area of San Francisco. Shenzhen, by comparison, equals about 280,000 American football fields, 34 times the area of Manhattan, or 19 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 Shenzhen

Shenzhen is a prefecture-level city in the province of Guangdong, China. A special economic zone, it is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of Guangdong, bordering Hong Kong to the south, Dongguan to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, and Macau to the southwest. With a population of 17.5 million in 2020, Shenzhen is the third-most-populous city by urban population in China after Shanghai and Beijing.

Often called "China's Silicon Valley", Shenzhen has an area of 1,997 km² and is home to 17.6 million people. The city dates back to 1979. Visitors come for Ping An Finance Centre, Window of the World, OCT Loft, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shenzhen Metro.

Shenzhen grew from a small town into China's third-most-populous urban city, hitting 17.5 million residents by 2020

Population Density

Chengdu has a population density of 1,456 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Shenzhen, with 8,793 people per km², is a densely populated city. Shenzhen is dramatically more crowded, with 6.0x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Shenzhen fits inside Chengdu ~7 times

Density Gap

Shenzhen is 6.0x more densely populated

History

Chengdu is ~2,289 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 Shenzhen

Shenzhen covers 1,997 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Riyadh (1,798 km²), Houston (1,725 km²), or Johannesburg (1,644 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chengdu bigger than Shenzhen?
Chengdu is 7.2 times larger than Shenzhen by area. Chengdu covers 14,378 km² while Shenzhen spans 1,997 km², a difference of 12,381 km².
How many times does Shenzhen fit inside Chengdu?
Shenzhen (1,997 km²) fits inside Chengdu (14,378 km²) approximately 7 times. That means Chengdu is 7.2x the area of Shenzhen.
What is the population difference between Chengdu and Shenzhen?
Chengdu has approximately 20.9 million people, while Shenzhen has about 17.6 million. Chengdu has 3.4 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chengdu or Shenzhen?
Shenzhen is more densely populated with 8,793 people per km², compared to 1,456 people per km².
Which city is older, Chengdu or Shenzhen?
Chengdu is older, founded around -310, while Shenzhen was established around 1979 — a difference of about 2289 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 Shenzhen

The straight-line distance from Chengdu to Shenzhen is 1,341 km (833 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 5m.

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