City Map Compare/Chengdu vs Zurich
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Chengdu

14,378 km²

Zurich

88 km²

Chengdu vs Zurich - City Size Comparison

Chengdu vs Zurich - City Size Comparison

Chengdu

People's Republic of China

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

Switzerland

Area88 km²
Population0.43M
Density4,886 /km²
Elevation408 m
Metro Pop.1.4M
Founded15 BC
Climateoceanic

Area Comparison

Chengdu is 163.4x larger than Zurich

Population Comparison

Chengdu has 48.7x more people than Zurich

Is Chengdu Bigger Than Zurich?

In terms of area, Chengdu is 163.4x the size of Zurich. Chengdu spans 14,378 km² (5,551 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 14,290 km². You could fit Zurich inside Chengdu approximately 163 times.

To put Chengdu's size in perspective, its area of 14,378 km² is about 2.3x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).

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. Zurich works out to about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 times the area of Monaco.

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 Zurich

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic.

Zurich has an area of 88 km² and is home to 0.4 million people. Its history stretches back to 15 BC. Visitors come for Lake Zurich, Bahnhofstrasse, Grossmünster, and much more. Getting around is easy with the ZVV (S-Bahn & Tram).

Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and sits at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich in north-central Switzerland.

Population Density

Chengdu has a population density of 1,456 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Zurich, with 4,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Zurich is dramatically more crowded, with 3.4x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Zurich fits inside Chengdu ~163 times

Density Gap

Zurich is 3.4x more densely populated

History

Chengdu is ~295 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 Zurich

Zurich covers 88 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Copenhagen (91 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chengdu actually bigger than Zurich?
Chengdu is 163.4 times larger than Zurich by area. Chengdu covers 14,378 km² while Zurich spans 88 km², a difference of 14,290 km².
How many times does Zurich fit inside Chengdu?
Zurich (88 km²) fits inside Chengdu (14,378 km²) approximately 163 times. That means Chengdu is 163.4x the area of Zurich.
What is the population difference between Chengdu and Zurich?
Chengdu has approximately 20.9 million people, while Zurich has about 0.4 million. Chengdu has 20.5 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chengdu or Zurich?
Zurich is more densely populated with 4,886 people per km², compared to 1,456 people per km².
Which city is older, Chengdu or Zurich?
Chengdu is older, founded around -310, while Zurich was established around -15 — a difference of about 295 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 Zurich

The straight-line distance from Chengdu to Zurich is 7,938 km (4,932 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 50m.

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