Dubai
4,114 km²
Lagos
1,172 km²
UAE
Nigeria
Area Comparison
Dubai is 3.5x larger than Lagos
Population Comparison
Dubai has 4.6x fewer people than Lagos
In terms of area, Dubai is 3.5x the size of Lagos. Dubai spans 4,114 km² (1,588 mi²) while Lagos covers 1,172 km² (453 mi²) — a difference of 2,942 km². You could fit Lagos inside Dubai approximately 3 times.
To put Dubai's size in perspective, its area of 4,114 km² is roughly the same size as Rhode Island. Meanwhile, Lagos at 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin.
Picture Dubai another way: its area is large enough to fit about 576,000 American football fields, 70 times the area of Manhattan, or 39 times the area of Paris. For Lagos, that's about 164,000 American football fields, 20 times the area of Manhattan, or 11 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.
Lagos, or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan port city in southwestern Nigeria. As of November 2025, the size of the city's population has been estimated to be between 17 and 21 million residents, making Lagos the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and one of the fastest-growing megacities in the world.
Also known as "Lasgidi", Lagos has an area of 1,172 km² and is home to 15.4 million people. Its history stretches back to 1472. Visitors come for Victoria Island, Lekki Conservation Centre, Nike Art Gallery, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Lagos Rail (Blue & Red Lines).
Lagos is the most populous urban area on the African continent, with an estimated 17 to 21 million residents as of 2025.
Dubai has a population density of 809 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Lagos, with 13,131 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Lagos is dramatically more crowded, with 16.2x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Dubai in Asia versus Lagos in Africa. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Dubai has a hot desert climate while Lagos experiences tropical savanna conditions. Summers are notably different: Dubai averages 36°C compared to 27°C in Lagos. When it's noon in Dubai, it's 9:00 AM in Lagos — a 3-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Lagos fits inside Dubai ~3 times
Density Gap
Lagos is 16.2x more densely populated
Time Difference
3 hours apart
History
Lagos is ~361 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).
Lagos covers 1,172 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), Hong Kong (1,114 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), or Los Angeles (1,302 km²).
The straight-line distance from Dubai to Lagos is 5,883 km (3,655 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~7h 25m.
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