Chennai
427 km²
Houston
1,725 km²
India
United States
Area Comparison
Chennai is 4.0x smaller than Houston
Population Comparison
Chennai has 2.9x more people than Houston
Yes — Houston is 4.0x larger than Chennai by area. Houston spans 1,725 km² (666 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 1,298 km². You could fit Chennai inside Houston approximately 4 times.
To put Chennai's size in perspective, its area of 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Houston at 1,725 km² is roughly the same size as London.
In more relatable units, Chennai's 427 km² is about 60,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Central Park, or 7 times the area of Manhattan. For Houston, that's about 242,000 American football fields, 29 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris.
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.
Houston is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the Southern United States. It is the fourth-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.3 million at the 2020 census. The Greater Houston metropolitan area, at 7.8 million residents, is the fifth-most populous metropolitan area in the nation and second-most populous in Texas. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, Houston is the county seat of Harris County.
Nicknamed "Space City", Houston has an area of 1,725 km² and is home to 2.3 million people. The city dates back to 1836. Visitors come for NASA Johnson Space Center, Space Center Houston, Houston Astros, and much more.
Houston is the fourth-most populous US city with 2.3 million residents at the 2020 census, leading the entire South.
Chennai has a population density of 15,457 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Houston, with 1,333 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Chennai is dramatically more crowded, with 11.6x the population density.
Size Ratio
Chennai fits inside Houston ~4 times
Density Gap
Chennai is 11.6x more densely populated
History
Chennai is ~197 years older
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).
Houston covers 1,725 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Riyadh (1,798 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bangkok (1,569 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chennai to Houston is 15,229 km (9,463 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~18h 25m.
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