Chennai
427 km²
Johannesburg
1,644 km²
India
South Africa
Area Comparison
Chennai is 3.9x smaller than Johannesburg
Population Comparison
Chennai has 1.4x more people than Johannesburg
Yes — Johannesburg is 3.9x larger than Chennai by area. Johannesburg spans 1,644 km² (635 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 1,217 km². You could fit Chennai inside Johannesburg approximately 3 times.
To put Chennai's size in perspective, its area of 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Johannesburg at 1,644 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. Johannesburg, by comparison, equals about 230,000 American football fields, 28 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.
Johannesburg, colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg or "The City of Gold", is the most populous city in South Africa. The City of Johannesburg itself has a population of 5,538,596, while the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality has a population of 6,599,190, making it one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, and seat of the country's highest court, the Constitutional Court.
Nicknamed "Jozi", Johannesburg has an area of 1,644 km² and is home to 4.8 million people. It was established in 1886. Visitors come for Apartheid Museum, Soweto township, Constitutional Court, and much more.
Johannesburg ranks among the world's 100 largest urban areas, with a metro population of about 6.6 million.
Chennai has a population density of 15,457 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Johannesburg, with 2,920 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Chennai is dramatically more crowded, with 5.3x the population density.
Size Ratio
Chennai fits inside Johannesburg ~3 times
Density Gap
Chennai is 5.3x more densely populated
History
Chennai is ~247 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).
Johannesburg covers 1,644 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Bogotá (1,578 km²), London (1,572 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), Houston (1,725 km²), or São Paulo (1,521 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chennai to Johannesburg is 7,138 km (4,435 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~8h 54m.
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