City Map Compare/Delhi vs Washington D.C.
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Delhi

1,484 km²

Washington D.C.

177 km²

Delhi vs Washington D.C. - City Size Comparison

Delhi vs Washington D.C. - City Size Comparison

Delhi

India

Area1,484 km²
Population16.79M
Density11,314 /km²
Elevation216 m
Metro Pop.32.9M
Founded1500 BC
Climatehumid subtropical
Washington D.C.

USA

Area177 km²
Population0.69M
Density3,898 /km²
Elevation22 m
Metro Pop.6.3M
Founded1790
Climatehumid subtropical

Area Comparison

Delhi is 8.4x larger than Washington D.C.

Population Comparison

Delhi has 24.3x more people than Washington D.C.

Is Delhi Bigger Than Washington D.C.?

Yes — Delhi is 8.4x larger than Washington D.C. by area. Delhi spans 1,484 km² (573 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 1,307 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside Delhi approximately 8 times.

To put Delhi's size in perspective, its area of 1,484 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..

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. Washington D.C., by comparison, equals about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 times the area of Central Park.

About Delhi

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.

About Washington D.C.

Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia and commonly known as simply Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River across from Virginia and shares land borders with Maryland to its north and east. It was named after George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States.

Also known as "D.C.", Washington D.C. has an area of 177 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1790. Visitors come for White House, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Washington Metro.

Washington D.C. sits on the Potomac River across from Virginia and is bordered by Maryland to its north and east

Metropolitan Area Comparison

Looking beyond city limits, the Delhi metropolitan area covers 46,208 km², which is 3.2x larger than greater Washington D.C. at 14,412 km². The Delhi metro area is also more populous, with 32.9 million people compared to 6.3 million.

Population Density

Delhi has a population density of 11,314 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Delhi is noticeably denser, packing 2.9 times more people per square kilometer.

This comparison spans continents — Delhi in Asia versus Washington D.C. in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.

Climate & Time Zone

Both cities share a humid subtropical climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each. When it's noon in Delhi, it's 1.5:00 AM in Washington D.C. — a 10.5-hour time difference.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Washington D.C. fits inside Delhi ~8 times

Density Gap

Delhi is 2.9x more densely populated

Time Difference

10.5 hours apart

History

Delhi is ~3,290 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Delhi

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. covers 177 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Stockholm (188 km²), Brussels (161 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), Minneapolis (149 km²), or Helsinki (214 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Delhi actually bigger than Washington D.C.?
Delhi is 8.4 times larger than Washington D.C. by area. Delhi covers 1,484 km² while Washington D.C. spans 177 km², a difference of 1,307 km².
How many times does Washington D.C. fit inside Delhi?
Washington D.C. (177 km²) fits inside Delhi (1,484 km²) approximately 8 times. That means Delhi is 8.4x the area of Washington D.C..
What is the population difference between Delhi and Washington D.C.?
Delhi has approximately 16.8 million people, while Washington D.C. has about 0.7 million. Delhi has 16.1 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Delhi or Washington D.C.?
Delhi is more densely populated with 11,314 people per km², compared to 3,898 people per km².
What is the time difference between Delhi and Washington D.C.?
Delhi is in the UTC+5.5 timezone while Washington D.C. is UTC-5. There is a 10.5-hour time difference between the two cities.
Which city is older, Delhi or Washington D.C.?
Delhi is older, founded around -1500, while Washington D.C. was established around 1790 — a difference of about 3290 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Delhi and Washington D.C.

The straight-line distance from Delhi to Washington D.C. is 12,033 km (7,477 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 39m.

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