City Map Compare/Chennai vs Los Angeles
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5 km
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Chennai

427 km²

Los Angeles

1,302 km²

Chennai vs Los Angeles - City Size Comparison

Chennai vs Los Angeles - City Size Comparison

Chennai

India

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

United States

Area1,302 km²
Population3.97M
Density3,049 /km²
Elevation71 m
Metro Pop.13.2M
Founded1781
ClimateMediterranean

Area Comparison

Chennai is 3.0x smaller than Los Angeles

Population Comparison

Chennai has 1.7x more people than Los Angeles

Is Chennai Bigger Than Los Angeles?

Yes — Los Angeles is 3.0x larger than Chennai by area. Los Angeles spans 1,302 km² (503 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 875 km². You could fit Chennai inside Los Angeles approximately 3 times.

To put Chennai's size in perspective, its area of 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Los Angeles at 1,302 km² is about 1.2x smaller than 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. Los Angeles, by comparison, equals about 182,000 American football fields, 22 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 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 Los Angeles

Los Angeles (LA) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With an estimated 3.88 million residents within the city limits as of 2024, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, behind New York City, and the largest city in the Western United States. The city has an ethnically and culturally diverse population, and is the principal city of a metropolitan area of 12.9 million people (2024).

Also known as "The City of Angels", Los Angeles has an area of 1,302 km² and is home to 4.0 million people. Its history stretches back to 1781. Visitors come for Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica Pier, Beverly Hills, and much more. Getting around is easy with the LA Metro.

Los Angeles is the second-most populous city in the United States, home to 3.88 million residents within city limits as of 2024.

Population Density

Chennai has a population density of 15,457 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Los Angeles, with 3,049 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Chennai is dramatically more crowded, with 5.1x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Chennai fits inside Los Angeles ~3 times

Density Gap

Chennai is 5.1x more densely populated

History

Chennai is ~142 years older

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 Los Angeles

Los Angeles covers 1,302 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Rome (1,285 km²), Phoenix (1,341 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), San Antonio (1,209 km²), or Lagos (1,172 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chennai actually bigger than Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is 3.0 times larger than Chennai by area. Los Angeles covers 1,302 km² while Chennai spans 427 km², a difference of 875 km².
How many times does Chennai fit inside Los Angeles?
Chennai (427 km²) fits inside Los Angeles (1,302 km²) approximately 3 times. That means Los Angeles is 3.0x the area of Chennai.
What is the population difference between Chennai and Los Angeles?
Chennai has approximately 6.6 million people, while Los Angeles has about 4.0 million. Chennai has 2.6 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chennai or Los Angeles?
Chennai is more densely populated with 15,457 people per km², compared to 3,049 people per km².
Which city is older, Chennai or Los Angeles?
Chennai is older, founded around 1639, while Los Angeles was established around 1781 — a difference of about 142 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 Los Angeles

The straight-line distance from Chennai to Los Angeles is 14,420 km (8,960 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~17h 28m.

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