Delhi
1,484 km²
Istanbul
5,461 km²
India
Turkey
Area Comparison
Delhi is 3.7x smaller than Istanbul
Population Comparison
Delhi has 1.1x more people than Istanbul
In terms of area, Istanbul is 3.7x the size of Delhi. Istanbul spans 5,461 km² (2,109 mi²) while Delhi covers 1,484 km² (573 mi²) — a difference of 3,977 km². You could fit Delhi inside Istanbul approximately 3 times.
To put Delhi's size in perspective, its area of 1,484 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Istanbul at 5,461 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Shanghai.
Delhi's footprint is roughly about 208,000 American football fields, 25 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Istanbul works out to about 765,000 American football fields, 92 times the area of Manhattan, or 52 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.
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical center. With a population of over 15 million, it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is among the largest cities in Europe and in the world by population. It is a city on two continents; about two-thirds of its population live in Europe and the rest in Asia.
Nicknamed "City on Two Continents", Istanbul has an area of 5,461 km² and is home to 15.5 million people. The city dates back to 660 BC. Visitors come for Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Istanbul Metro.
Istanbul is one of the only major cities to span two continents, with about two-thirds of its population living in Europe and the rest in Asia.
Looking beyond city limits, the Delhi metropolitan area covers 46,208 km², which is 8.5x larger than greater Istanbul at 5,461 km². The Delhi metro area is also more populous, with 32.9 million people compared to 15.5 million.
Delhi has a population density of 11,314 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Istanbul, with 2,831 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Delhi is dramatically more crowded, with 4.0x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Delhi in Asia versus Istanbul in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Delhi has a humid subtropical climate while Istanbul experiences oceanic conditions. Summers are notably different: Delhi averages 34°C compared to 24°C in Istanbul. When it's noon in Delhi, it's 9.5:00 AM in Istanbul — a 2.5-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Delhi fits inside Istanbul ~3 times
Density Gap
Delhi is 4.0x more densely populated
History
Delhi is ~840 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).
Istanbul covers 5,461 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Shanghai (6,341 km²), Perth (6,417 km²), Dubai (4,114 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), or Karachi (3,527 km²).
The straight-line distance from Delhi to Istanbul is 4,537 km (2,819 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~5h 50m.
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