How Big Is Cape Town?
South Africa
Area
2,455 km²
948 mi²
Population
3.8M
Density
1,540/km²
Founded
1652
Cape Town Size Overview
Cape Town covers an area of 2,455 km² (948 mi²) in South Africa. Legislative capital of South Africa. The city is often called "The Mother City". To put this in perspective, Cape Town is roughly the same size as Moscow. In more relatable units, that's about 344,000 American football fields, 42 times the area of Manhattan, or 23 times the area of Paris.
Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's second-largest city by population, after Johannesburg, and the largest city in the Western Cape. The city is part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality.
With a population of 3.8 million, Cape Town has a population density of 1,540 people per km².
Cape Town has a history stretching back to 1652. The city is renowned for Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope, Robben Island, and V&A Waterfront.
Did You Know?
- Cape Town is South Africa's oldest city, founded in 1652 and home to the seat of the national Parliament.
- As the legislative capital of South Africa, Cape Town hosts the country's Parliament from a near sea-level setting.
- Cape Town ranks as South Africa's second-largest city by population and the largest in the Western Cape province.
Compare Cape Town with Other Cities
Compare Cape Town with any city using our interactive map tool.
Cities Similar in Size to Cape Town
Cape Town covers 2,455 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Moscow (2,511 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), or Shenzhen (1,997 km²).