How Big Is Sydney?

Australia · Oceania

Area

12,368 km²

4,775 mi²

Population

5.3M

Metro: 5.3M

Density

429/km²

Founded

1788

Sydney Size Overview

Sydney covers an area of 12,368 km² (4,775 mi²) in Australia, Oceania. Capital city of New South Wales, Australia. The city is often called "Sydneysiders". To put this in perspective, Sydney is about 2.0x the size of Shanghai. In more relatable units, that's about 1,700,000 American football fields, 120 times the area of Paris, or 100 times the area of San Francisco.

Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and is the most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Hawkesbury River in the north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west.

With a population of 5.3 million (5.3 million in the metropolitan area), Sydney has a population density of 429 people per km².

Sydney has a history stretching back to 1788. The city is renowned for Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, and Blue Mountains.

Sydney has a humid subtropical climate, with summer temperatures averaging 23°C and winters around 13°C. The city's main public transit system is the Sydney Trains.

Did You Know?

  • Sydney stretches roughly 80 km from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west.
  • The metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and reaches from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in the north to the Royal National Park in the south.

Compare Sydney with Other Cities

Compare Sydney with any city using our interactive map tool.

Cities Similar in Size to Sydney

Sydney covers 12,368 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Chengdu (14,378 km²), Xi'an (10,097 km²), Melbourne (9,993 km²), Brisbane (15,826 km²), or Beijing (16,411 km²).

Frequently Asked Questions about Sydney

How big is Sydney in square miles?
Sydney covers 12,368 km², which is approximately 4,775 square miles.
What is the population of Sydney?
Sydney has a population of approximately 5.3 million people. The greater metropolitan area is home to 5.3 million.
What is the population density of Sydney?
Sydney has a population density of 429 people per km² (1,111 per mi²).
How does Sydney compare to Melbourne?
Sydney covers 12,368 km² while Melbourne covers 9,993 km². Sydney is 1.2x larger. Use our interactive map tool to compare them side by side.
Can I compare Sydney with other cities on a map?
Yes! City Map Compare lets you compare Sydney with any of 50+ cities side by side on synchronized maps. Both maps maintain the same zoom level so you can see the real difference in size.