Chennai
427 km²
Shenzhen
1,997 km²
City Map Compare/Chennai vs Shenzhenvs
vs
5 km
India
China
Area Comparison
Chennai is 4.7x smaller than Shenzhen
Population Comparison
Chennai has 2.7x fewer people than Shenzhen
Yes — Shenzhen is 4.7x larger than Chennai by area. Shenzhen spans 1,997 km² (771 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 1,570 km². You could fit Chennai inside Shenzhen approximately 4 times.
To put Chennai's size in perspective, its area of 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Shenzhen at 1,997 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
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. Shenzhen, by comparison, equals about 280,000 American football fields, 34 times the area of Manhattan, or 19 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.
Shenzhen is a prefecture-level city in the province of Guangdong, China. A special economic zone, it is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of Guangdong, bordering Hong Kong to the south, Dongguan to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, and Macau to the southwest. With a population of 17.5 million in 2020, Shenzhen is the third-most-populous city by urban population in China after Shanghai and Beijing.
Often called "China's Silicon Valley", Shenzhen has an area of 1,997 km² and is home to 17.6 million people. Its history stretches back to 1979. Visitors come for Ping An Finance Centre, Window of the World, OCT Loft, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shenzhen Metro.
Shenzhen grew from a small town into China's third-most-populous urban city, hitting 17.5 million residents by 2020
Chennai has a population density of 15,457 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Shenzhen, with 8,793 people per km², is a densely populated city. Chennai is noticeably denser, packing 1.8 times more people per square kilometer.
Size Ratio
Chennai fits inside Shenzhen ~4 times
Density Gap
Chennai is 1.8x more densely populated
History
Chennai is ~340 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).
Shenzhen covers 1,997 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Riyadh (1,798 km²), Houston (1,725 km²), or Johannesburg (1,644 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chennai to Shenzhen is 3,718 km (2,310 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~4h 52m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.