Delhi
1,484 km²
Shenzhen
1,997 km²
India
China
Area Comparison
Delhi is 1.3x smaller than Shenzhen
Population Comparison
Delhi has 1.0x fewer people than Shenzhen
Shenzhen is significantly larger, covering 1.3 times the area of Delhi. Shenzhen spans 1,997 km² (771 mi²) while Delhi covers 1,484 km² (573 mi²) — a difference of 513 km².
To put Delhi's size in perspective, its area of 1,484 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Shenzhen at 1,997 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
In more relatable units, Delhi's 1,484 km² is about 208,000 American football fields, 25 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris. For Shenzhen, that's about 280,000 American football fields, 34 times the area of Manhattan, or 19 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.
Shenzhen is a prefecture-level city in the province of Guangdong, China. A special economic zone, it is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of Guangdong, bordering Hong Kong to the south, Dongguan to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, and Macau to the southwest. With a population of 17.5 million in 2020, Shenzhen is the third-most-populous city by urban population in China after Shanghai and Beijing.
Also known as "China's Silicon Valley", Shenzhen has an area of 1,997 km² and is home to 17.6 million people. Its history stretches back to 1979. Visitors come for Ping An Finance Centre, Window of the World, OCT Loft, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shenzhen Metro.
Shenzhen grew from a small town into China's third-most-populous urban city, hitting 17.5 million residents by 2020
Looking beyond city limits, the Delhi metropolitan area covers 46,208 km², which is 23.1x larger than greater Shenzhen at 1,997 km². The Delhi metro area is also more populous, with 32.9 million people compared to 17.6 million.
Delhi has a population density of 11,314 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Shenzhen, with 8,793 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Delhi is slightly more compact.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Delhi (India) and Shenzhen (China) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Both cities share a humid subtropical climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each. When it's noon in Shenzhen, it's 9.5:00 AM in Delhi — a 2.5-hour time difference.
History
Delhi is ~3,479 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).
Shenzhen covers 1,997 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Riyadh (1,798 km²), Houston (1,725 km²), or Johannesburg (1,644 km²).
The straight-line distance from Delhi to Shenzhen is 3,753 km (2,332 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~4h 55m.
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