City Map Compare/Chennai vs Manila
vs
5 km
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Chennai

427 km²

Manila

43 km²

Chennai vs Manila - City Size Comparison

Chennai vs Manila - City Size Comparison

Chennai

India

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

Philippines

Area43 km²
Population1.85M
Density43,023 /km²
Elevation5 m
Metro Pop.13.9M
Founded1571
Climatetropical savanna

Area Comparison

Chennai is 9.9x larger than Manila

Population Comparison

Chennai has 3.6x more people than Manila

Is Chennai Bigger Than Manila?

Yes — Chennai is 9.9x larger than Manila by area. Chennai spans 427 km² (165 mi²) while Manila covers 43 km² (17 mi²) — a difference of 384 km². You could fit Manila inside Chennai approximately 9 times.

To put Chennai's size in perspective, its area of 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Manila at 43 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Manhattan.

In more relatable units, Chennai's 427 km² is about 60,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Central Park, or 7 times the area of Manhattan. Manila works out to about 6,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Vatican City, or 21 times the area of Monaco.

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 Manila

Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 1,902,590 people. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on the island of Luzon, it is classified as a highly urbanized city. With 44,935 inhabitants per square kilometer (116,380/sq mi), Manila is one of the world's most densely populated cities proper.

Nicknamed "Pearl of the Orient", Manila has an area of 43 km² and is home to 1.9 million people. The city dates back to 1571. Visitors come for Intramuros walled city, Rizal Park, Manila Bay, and much more. Getting around is easy with the LRT & MRT Manila.

Manila has 44,935 inhabitants per square kilometer, making it one of the world's most densely populated cities proper.

Population Density

Chennai has a population density of 15,457 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Manila, with 43,023 people per km², is one of the most densely packed urban areas on Earth. Manila is noticeably denser, packing 2.8 times more people per square kilometer.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Manila fits inside Chennai ~9 times

Density Gap

Manila is 2.8x 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 Manila

Manila covers 43 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Athens (39 km²), Tel Aviv (52 km²), Zurich (88 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), or Lisbon (100 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chennai bigger than Manila?
Chennai is 9.9 times larger than Manila by area. Chennai covers 427 km² while Manila spans 43 km², a difference of 384 km².
How many times does Manila fit inside Chennai?
Manila (43 km²) fits inside Chennai (427 km²) approximately 9 times. That means Chennai is 9.9x the area of Manila.
What is the population difference between Chennai and Manila?
Chennai has approximately 6.6 million people, while Manila has about 1.9 million. Chennai has 4.8 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chennai or Manila?
Manila is more densely populated with 43,023 people per km², compared to 15,457 people per km².
Which city is older, Chennai or Manila?
Manila is older, founded around 1571, while Chennai was established around 1639 — a difference of about 68 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 Manila

The straight-line distance from Chennai to Manila is 4,393 km (2,730 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~5h 40m.

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