Delhi
1,484 km²
Nairobi
696 km²
India
Kenya
Area Comparison
Delhi is 2.1x larger than Nairobi
Population Comparison
Delhi has 3.5x more people than Nairobi
Delhi is significantly larger, covering 2.1 times the area of Nairobi. Delhi spans 1,484 km² (573 mi²) while Nairobi covers 696 km² (269 mi²) — a difference of 788 km². You could fit Nairobi inside Delhi approximately 2 times.
To put Delhi's size in perspective, its area of 1,484 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Nairobi at 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City.
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. Nairobi, by comparison, equals about 97,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 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.
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya, located in the south-central part of the country. As of 2024, it has a population of 4.8 million and a metropolitan population of 5.7 million, making it the 11th most populous city in Africa. Nicknamed the "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi is uniquely notable for being the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries. Its name originates from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, meaning "place of cool waters".
Also known as "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi has an area of 696 km² and is home to 4.7 million people. The city dates back to 1899. Visitors come for Nairobi National Park, Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Nairobi Commuter Rail.
Nairobi is the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries.
Looking beyond city limits, the Delhi metropolitan area covers 46,208 km², which is 66.4x larger than greater Nairobi at 696 km². The Delhi metro area is also more populous, with 32.9 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Delhi has a population density of 11,314 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Nairobi, with 6,796 people per km², is a densely populated city. Delhi is noticeably denser, packing 1.7 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Delhi in Asia versus Nairobi in Africa. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Delhi has a humid subtropical climate while Nairobi experiences subtropical highland conditions. Summers are notably different: Delhi averages 34°C compared to 20°C in Nairobi. When it's noon in Delhi, it's 9.5:00 AM in Nairobi — a 2.5-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Nairobi fits inside Delhi ~2 times
Density Gap
Delhi is 1.7x more densely populated
History
Delhi is ~3,399 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).
Nairobi covers 696 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Tehran (730 km²), Jakarta (662 km²), Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Delhi to Nairobi is 5,431 km (3,375 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~6h 53m.
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