Delhi
1,484 km²
Dubai
4,114 km²
India
UAE
Area Comparison
Delhi is 2.8x smaller than Dubai
Population Comparison
Delhi has 5.0x more people than Dubai
In terms of area, Dubai is 2.8x the size of Delhi. Dubai spans 4,114 km² (1,588 mi²) while Delhi covers 1,484 km² (573 mi²) — a difference of 2,630 km². You could fit Delhi inside Dubai approximately 2 times.
To put Delhi's size in perspective, its area of 1,484 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Dubai at 4,114 km² is roughly the same size as Rhode Island.
Picture Delhi another way: its area is large enough to fit about 208,000 American football fields, 25 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris. For Dubai, that's about 576,000 American football fields, 70 times the area of Manhattan, or 39 times the area of Paris.
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a megacity and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its right bank, Delhi shares borders with the state of Uttar Pradesh in the east and with the state of Haryana in the remaining directions. Delhi became a union territory on 1 November 1956 and the NCT in 1995. The NCT covers an area of 1,484 square kilometres (573 sq mi).
Known as "City of Djinns", Delhi covers 1,484 km² with a population of 16.8 million. The city was founded around 1500 BC. Delhi is known for Red Fort, India Gate, Qutub Minar, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Delhi Metro.
Delhi is a megacity and union territory of India, containing New Delhi, the capital of the country.
Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. It is on a creek on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf. As of 2025, its population stands at 4 million, 92% of whom are expatriates. The wider urban area includes Sharjah and has a population of 5 million people as of 2023, while the Dubai–Sharjah–Ajman metropolitan area has a population of 6 million people.
Also known as "City of Gold", Dubai has an area of 4,114 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. Its history stretches back to 1833. Visitors come for Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Mall, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Dubai Metro.
Dubai's population reached 4 million in 2025, with 92% of residents being expatriates rather than UAE nationals.
Delhi has a population density of 11,314 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Dubai, with 809 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Delhi is dramatically more crowded, with 14.0x the population density.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Delhi (India) and Dubai (UAE) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Delhi has a humid subtropical climate while Dubai experiences hot desert conditions.
Size Ratio
Delhi fits inside Dubai ~2 times
Density Gap
Delhi is 14.0x more densely populated
History
Delhi is ~3,333 years older
Delhi covers 1,484 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Mexico City (1,485 km²), São Paulo (1,521 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bogotá (1,578 km²).
Dubai covers 4,114 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Karachi (3,527 km²), Hanoi (3,359 km²), Istanbul (5,461 km²), Cairo (3,085 km²), or Lima (2,672 km²).
The straight-line distance from Delhi to Dubai is 2,195 km (1,364 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 5m.
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