City Map Compare/Chennai vs Johannesburg
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Chennai

426,830,040 km²

Johannesburg

1,644 km²

Chennai vs Johannesburg - City Size Comparison

Chennai vs Johannesburg - City Size Comparison

Chennai

India

Area426,830,040 km²
Population6.60M
Density0 /km²
Elevation6 m
Founded1639
Johannesburg

South Africa

Area1,644 km²
Population4.80M
Density2,920 /km²
Elevation1,753 m
Founded1886

Area Comparison

Chennai is 259629.0x larger than Johannesburg

Population Comparison

Chennai has 1.4x more people than Johannesburg

Is Chennai Bigger Than Johannesburg?

Yes — Chennai is 259629.0x larger than Johannesburg by area. Chennai spans 426,830,040 km² (164,799,932 mi²) while Johannesburg covers 1,644 km² (635 mi²) — a difference of 426,828,396 km². You could fit Johannesburg inside Chennai approximately 259628 times.

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 59,780,100,000 American football fields. Johannesburg, by comparison, equals about 230,000 American football fields, 28 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 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 426,830,040 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 Johannesburg

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.

Population Density

Chennai has a population density of 0 people per km² — a low-density, sprawling urban area. Johannesburg, with 2,920 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Johannesburg is dramatically more crowded, with Infinityx the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Johannesburg fits inside Chennai ~259628 times

Density Gap

Johannesburg is Infinityx more densely populated

History

Chennai is ~247 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Chennai

Chennai covers 426,830,040 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Doha (132,000,000 km²), Dublin (114,990,000 km²), Hangzhou (16,854 km²), Beijing (16,411 km²), or Brisbane (15,826 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Johannesburg

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).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Chennai or Johannesburg?
Chennai is 259629.0 times larger than Johannesburg by area. Chennai covers 426,830,040 km² while Johannesburg spans 1,644 km², a difference of 426,828,396 km².
How many times does Johannesburg fit inside Chennai?
Johannesburg (1,644 km²) fits inside Chennai (426,830,040 km²) approximately 259628 times. That means Chennai is 259629.0x the area of Johannesburg.
What is the population difference between Chennai and Johannesburg?
Chennai has approximately 6.6 million people, while Johannesburg has about 4.8 million. Chennai has 1.8 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chennai or Johannesburg?
Johannesburg is more densely populated with 2,920 people per km², compared to 0 people per km².
Which city is older, Chennai or Johannesburg?
Chennai is older, founded around 1639, while Johannesburg was established around 1886 — a difference of about 247 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 Johannesburg

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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