Chennai
427 km²
Istanbul
5,461 km²
India
Turkey
Area Comparison
Chennai is 12.8x smaller than Istanbul
Population Comparison
Chennai has 2.3x fewer people than Istanbul
Istanbul is significantly larger, covering 12.8 times the area of Chennai. Istanbul spans 5,461 km² (2,109 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 5,034 km². You could fit Chennai inside Istanbul approximately 12 times.
To put Chennai's size in perspective, its area of 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Istanbul at 5,461 km² is about 1.2x smaller than 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. Istanbul works out to about 765,000 American football fields, 92 times the area of Manhattan, or 52 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.
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical center. With a population of over 15 million, it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is among the largest cities in Europe and in the world by population. It is a city on two continents; about two-thirds of its population live in Europe and the rest in Asia.
Nicknamed "City on Two Continents", Istanbul has an area of 5,461 km² and is home to 15.5 million people. It was founded around 660 BC. Visitors come for Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Istanbul Metro.
Istanbul is one of the only major cities to span two continents, with about two-thirds of its population living in Europe and the rest in Asia.
Chennai has a population density of 15,457 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Istanbul, with 2,831 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Chennai is dramatically more crowded, with 5.5x the population density.
Size Ratio
Chennai fits inside Istanbul ~12 times
Density Gap
Chennai is 5.5x more densely populated
History
Istanbul is ~2,299 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).
Istanbul covers 5,461 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Shanghai (6,341 km²), Perth (6,417 km²), Dubai (4,114 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), or Karachi (3,527 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chennai to Istanbul is 5,843 km (3,631 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~7h 22m.
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