City Map Compare/Chennai vs Karachi
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5 km
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Chennai

427 km²

Karachi

3,527 km²

Chennai vs Karachi - City Size Comparison

Chennai vs Karachi - City Size Comparison

Chennai

India

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

Pakistan

Area3,527 km²
Population14.91M
Density4,227 /km²
Elevation8 m
Founded1729

Area Comparison

Chennai is 8.3x smaller than Karachi

Population Comparison

Chennai has 2.3x fewer people than Karachi

Is Chennai Bigger Than Karachi?

In terms of area, Karachi is 8.3x the size of Chennai. Karachi spans 3,527 km² (1,362 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 3,100 km². You could fit Chennai inside Karachi approximately 8 times.

To put Chennai's size in perspective, its area of 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Karachi at 3,527 km² is about 1.1x smaller than Rhode Island.

Chennai's footprint is roughly about 60,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Central Park, or 7 times the area of Manhattan — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Karachi, by comparison, equals about 494,000 American football fields, 60 times the area of Manhattan, or 33 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 Karachi

Karachi is the capital city of the province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the largest city in Pakistan and 12th largest in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast and formerly served as the country's capital from 1947 to 1959. Ranked as a beta-global city, it is Pakistan's premier industrial and financial centre, with an estimated GDP of over $200 billion (PPP) as of 2021.

Nicknamed "City of Lights", Karachi has an area of 3,527 km² and is home to 14.9 million people. The city dates back to 1729. Visitors come for Port of Karachi, Mazar-e-Quaid mausoleum, Clifton Beach, and much more.

Karachi is Pakistan's largest city and the 12th largest in the world, with a population of over 20 million.

Population Density

Chennai has a population density of 15,457 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Karachi, with 4,227 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Chennai is dramatically more crowded, with 3.7x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Chennai fits inside Karachi ~8 times

Density Gap

Chennai is 3.7x more densely populated

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 Karachi

Karachi covers 3,527 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hanoi (3,359 km²), Cairo (3,085 km²), Dubai (4,114 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), or Moscow (2,511 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Chennai or Karachi?
Karachi is 8.3 times larger than Chennai by area. Karachi covers 3,527 km² while Chennai spans 427 km², a difference of 3,100 km².
How many times does Chennai fit inside Karachi?
Chennai (427 km²) fits inside Karachi (3,527 km²) approximately 8 times. That means Karachi is 8.3x the area of Chennai.
What is the population difference between Chennai and Karachi?
Karachi has approximately 14.9 million people, while Chennai has about 6.6 million. Karachi has 8.3 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chennai or Karachi?
Chennai is more densely populated with 15,457 people per km², compared to 4,227 people per km².
Which city is older, Chennai or Karachi?
Chennai is older, founded around 1639, while Karachi was established around 1729 — a difference of about 90 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 Karachi

The straight-line distance from Chennai to Karachi is 1,911 km (1,187 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 45m.

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