Dubai
4,114 km²
Johannesburg
1,644 km²
UAE
South Africa
Area Comparison
Dubai is 2.5x larger than Johannesburg
Population Comparison
Dubai has 1.4x fewer people than Johannesburg
Dubai is significantly larger, covering 2.5 times the area of Johannesburg. Dubai spans 4,114 km² (1,588 mi²) while Johannesburg covers 1,644 km² (635 mi²) — a difference of 2,470 km². You could fit Johannesburg inside Dubai approximately 2 times.
To put Dubai's size in perspective, its area of 4,114 km² is roughly the same size as Rhode Island. Meanwhile, Johannesburg at 1,644 km² is roughly the same size as London.
In more relatable units, Dubai's 4,114 km² is about 576,000 American football fields, 70 times the area of Manhattan, or 39 times the area of Paris. Johannesburg, by comparison, equals about 230,000 American football fields, 28 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris.
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.
Johannesburg, colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg or "The City of Gold", is the most populous city in South Africa. The City of Johannesburg itself has a population of 5,538,596, while the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality has a population of 6,599,190, making it one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, and seat of the country's highest court, the Constitutional Court.
Also known as "Jozi", Johannesburg has an area of 1,644 km² and is home to 4.8 million people. Its history stretches back to 1886. Visitors come for Apartheid Museum, Soweto township, Constitutional Court, and much more.
Johannesburg ranks among the world's 100 largest urban areas, with a metro population of about 6.6 million.
Dubai has a population density of 809 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Johannesburg, with 2,920 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Johannesburg is dramatically more crowded, with 3.6x the population density.
Size Ratio
Johannesburg fits inside Dubai ~2 times
Density Gap
Johannesburg is 3.6x more densely populated
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).
Johannesburg covers 1,644 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Bogotá (1,578 km²), London (1,572 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), Houston (1,725 km²), or São Paulo (1,521 km²).
The straight-line distance from Dubai to Johannesburg is 6,420 km (3,989 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~8h 3m.
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