Chennai
427 km²
Nairobi
696 km²
City Map Compare/Chennai vs Nairobivs
vs
5 km
India
Kenya
Area Comparison
Chennai is 1.6x smaller than Nairobi
Population Comparison
Chennai has 1.4x more people than Nairobi
Yes — Nairobi is 1.6x larger than Chennai by area. Nairobi spans 696 km² (269 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 269 km².
To put Chennai's size in perspective, its area of 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Nairobi at 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City.
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. For Nairobi, that's about 97,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 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.
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya, located in the south-central part of the country. As of 2024, it has a population of 4.8 million and a metropolitan population of 5.7 million, making it the 11th most populous city in Africa. Nicknamed the "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi is uniquely notable for being the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries. Its name originates from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, meaning "place of cool waters".
Nicknamed "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi has an area of 696 km² and is home to 4.7 million people. The city dates back to 1899. Visitors come for Nairobi National Park, Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Nairobi Commuter Rail.
Nairobi is the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries.
Chennai has a population density of 15,457 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Nairobi, with 6,796 people per km², is a densely populated city. Chennai is noticeably denser, packing 2.3 times more people per square kilometer.
Density Gap
Chennai is 2.3x more densely populated
History
Chennai is ~260 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).
Nairobi covers 696 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Tehran (730 km²), Jakarta (662 km²), Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chennai to Nairobi is 5,051 km (3,139 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~6h 27m.
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