How Big Is Rio de Janeiro?
Brazil · South America
Area
1,221 km²
471 mi²
Population
6.8M
Metro: 13.5M
Density
5,528/km²
Founded
1565
Rio de Janeiro Size Overview
Rio de Janeiro covers an area of 1,221 km² (471 mi²) in Brazil, South America. Second-largest city in Brazil. The city is often called "Cidade Maravilhosa". To put this in perspective, Rio de Janeiro is about 1.3x smaller than London. In more relatable units, that's about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.
Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous city in the Americas.
With a population of 6.8 million (13.5 million in the metropolitan area), Rio de Janeiro has a population density of 5,528 people per km². The greater Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area extends to 6,744 km².
Rio de Janeiro has a history stretching back to 1565. The city is renowned for Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, and Ipanema beach.
Rio de Janeiro has a tropical savanna climate, with summer temperatures averaging 27°C and winters around 21°C. The city's main public transit system is the MetrôRio.
Did You Know?
- Rio de Janeiro is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous in the Americas.
- Rio serves as the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro and is commonly known simply as 'Rio'.
Compare Rio de Janeiro with Other Cities
Compare Rio de Janeiro with any city using our interactive map tool.
Cities Similar in Size to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Lagos (1,172 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Los Angeles (1,302 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).