Dubai
4,114 km²
Edinburgh
259 km²
UAE
United Kingdom
Area Comparison
Dubai is 15.9x larger than Edinburgh
Population Comparison
Dubai has 6.8x more people than Edinburgh
Dubai is significantly larger, covering 15.9 times the area of Edinburgh. Dubai spans 4,114 km² (1,588 mi²) while Edinburgh covers 259 km² (100 mi²) — a difference of 3,855 km². You could fit Edinburgh inside Dubai approximately 15 times.
To put Dubai's size in perspective, its area of 4,114 km² is roughly the same size as Rhode Island. Meanwhile, Edinburgh at 259 km² is about 1.2x the size of Amsterdam.
Dubai's footprint is roughly about 576,000 American football fields, 70 times the area of Manhattan, or 39 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Edinburgh, by comparison, equals about 36,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Monaco, or 76 times the area of Central Park.
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.
Known as "City of Gold", Dubai covers 4,114 km² with a population of 3.3 million. The city was established in 1833. Dubai is known for Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Mall, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Dubai Metro.
Dubai's population reached 4 million in 2025, with 92% of residents being expatriates rather than UAE nationals.
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. It is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh had a population of 506,520 in 2020, making it the second-most-populous city in Scotland and the seventh-most-populous in the United Kingdom. The wider metropolitan area had a population of 912,490 in the same year.
Often called "Auld Reekie", Edinburgh has an area of 259 km² and is home to 0.5 million people. Its history stretches back to 601. Visitors come for Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat, and much more.
Edinburgh is bounded by the Firth of Forth to the north and the Pentland Hills to the south.
Dubai has a population density of 809 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Edinburgh, with 1,892 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Edinburgh is noticeably denser, packing 2.3 times more people per square kilometer.
Size Ratio
Edinburgh fits inside Dubai ~15 times
Density Gap
Edinburgh is 2.3x more densely populated
History
Edinburgh is ~1,232 years older
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).
Edinburgh covers 259 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Taipei (272 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), Boston (232 km²), Osaka (225 km²), or Amsterdam (219 km²).
The straight-line distance from Dubai to Edinburgh is 5,765 km (3,582 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~7h 17m.
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