City Map Compare/Chennai vs Guangzhou
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5 km
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Chennai

427 km²

Guangzhou

7,434 km²

Chennai vs Guangzhou - City Size Comparison

Chennai vs Guangzhou - City Size Comparison

Chennai

India

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

China

Area7,434 km²
Population18.68M
Density2,513 /km²
Elevation21 m
Metro Pop.18.7M
Founded214 BC
Climatehumid subtropical

Area Comparison

Chennai is 17.4x smaller than Guangzhou

Population Comparison

Chennai has 2.8x fewer people than Guangzhou

Is Chennai Bigger Than Guangzhou?

In terms of area, Guangzhou is 17.4x the size of Chennai. Guangzhou spans 7,434 km² (2,870 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 7,007 km². You could fit Chennai inside Guangzhou approximately 17 times.

To put Chennai's size in perspective, its area of 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Guangzhou at 7,434 km² is about 1.2x the size of Shanghai.

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. Guangzhou, by comparison, equals about 1,000,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Manhattan, or 71 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 Guangzhou

Guangzhou, also known as Canton, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong in southern China. Located on the Pearl River, about 120 kilometres (75 mi) northwest of Hong Kong and 145 kilometres (90 mi) north of Macau, Guangzhou has a history of over 2,200 years and was a major terminus of the Silk Road.

Nicknamed "Canton", Guangzhou has an area of 7,434 km² and is home to 18.7 million people. It was founded around 214 BC. Visitors come for Canton Tower, Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, Shamian Island, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Guangzhou Metro.

Guangzhou boasts a history of over 2,200 years and served as a major terminus of the ancient Silk Road

Population Density

Chennai has a population density of 15,457 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Guangzhou, with 2,513 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Chennai is dramatically more crowded, with 6.2x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Chennai fits inside Guangzhou ~17 times

Density Gap

Chennai is 6.2x more densely populated

History

Guangzhou is ~1,853 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 Guangzhou

Guangzhou covers 7,434 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Wuhan (8,569 km²), Perth (6,417 km²), Shanghai (6,341 km²), Melbourne (9,993 km²), or Xi'an (10,097 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chennai actually bigger than Guangzhou?
Guangzhou is 17.4 times larger than Chennai by area. Guangzhou covers 7,434 km² while Chennai spans 427 km², a difference of 7,007 km².
How many times does Chennai fit inside Guangzhou?
Chennai (427 km²) fits inside Guangzhou (7,434 km²) approximately 17 times. That means Guangzhou is 17.4x the area of Chennai.
What is the population difference between Chennai and Guangzhou?
Guangzhou has approximately 18.7 million people, while Chennai has about 6.6 million. Guangzhou has 12.1 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chennai or Guangzhou?
Chennai is more densely populated with 15,457 people per km², compared to 2,513 people per km².
Which city is older, Chennai or Guangzhou?
Guangzhou is older, founded around -214, while Chennai was established around 1639 — a difference of about 1853 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 Guangzhou

The straight-line distance from Chennai to Guangzhou is 3,651 km (2,269 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~4h 48m.

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