City Map Compare/Chennai vs Delhi
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5 km
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Chennai

427 km²

Delhi

1,484 km²

Chennai vs Delhi - City Size Comparison

Chennai vs Delhi - City Size Comparison

Chennai

India

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

India

Area1,484 km²
Population16.79M
Density11,314 /km²
Elevation216 m
Metro Pop.32.9M
Founded1500 BC
Climatehumid subtropical

Area Comparison

Chennai is 3.5x smaller than Delhi

Population Comparison

Chennai has 2.5x fewer people than Delhi

Is Chennai Bigger Than Delhi?

Delhi is significantly larger, covering 3.5 times the area of Chennai. Delhi spans 1,484 km² (573 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 1,057 km². You could fit Chennai inside Delhi approximately 3 times.

To put Chennai's size in perspective, its area of 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Delhi at 1,484 km² is roughly the same size as London.

Picture Chennai another way: its area is large enough to fit about 60,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Central Park, or 7 times the area of Manhattan. Delhi, by comparison, equals about 208,000 American football fields, 25 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris.

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.

Known as "Madras", Chennai covers 427 km² with a population of 6.6 million. The city was established in 1639. Chennai is known for Marina Beach, Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Fort St. George, among other attractions.

Chennai, formerly Madras, is the capital of Tamil Nadu and the sixth-most-populous city in India.

About Delhi

Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a megacity and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its right bank, Delhi shares borders with the state of Uttar Pradesh in the east and with the state of Haryana in the remaining directions. Delhi became a union territory on 1 November 1956 and the NCT in 1995. The NCT covers an area of 1,484 square kilometres (573 sq mi).

Also known as "City of Djinns", Delhi has an area of 1,484 km² and is home to 16.8 million people. The city dates back to 1500 BC. Visitors come for Red Fort, India Gate, Qutub Minar, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Delhi Metro.

Delhi is a megacity and union territory of India, containing New Delhi, the capital of the country.

Population Density

Chennai has a population density of 15,457 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Delhi, with 11,314 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Both cities have comparable density, though Chennai is slightly more compact.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Chennai fits inside Delhi ~3 times

Density Gap

Chennai is 1.4x more densely populated

History

Delhi is ~3,139 years older

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Delhi

Delhi covers 1,484 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Mexico City (1,485 km²), São Paulo (1,521 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bogotá (1,578 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chennai actually bigger than Delhi?
Delhi is 3.5 times larger than Chennai by area. Delhi covers 1,484 km² while Chennai spans 427 km², a difference of 1,057 km².
How many times does Chennai fit inside Delhi?
Chennai (427 km²) fits inside Delhi (1,484 km²) approximately 3 times. That means Delhi is 3.5x the area of Chennai.
What is the population difference between Chennai and Delhi?
Delhi has approximately 16.8 million people, while Chennai has about 6.6 million. Delhi has 10.2 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chennai or Delhi?
Chennai is more densely populated with 15,457 people per km², compared to 11,314 people per km².
Which city is older, Chennai or Delhi?
Delhi is older, founded around -1500, while Chennai was established around 1639 — a difference of about 3139 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 Chennai and Delhi

The straight-line distance from Chennai to Delhi is 1,768 km (1,098 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 35m.

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