Dubai
4,114 km²
Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
UAE
Brazil
Area Comparison
Dubai is 3.4x larger than Rio de Janeiro
Population Comparison
Dubai has 2.0x fewer people than Rio de Janeiro
In terms of area, Dubai is 3.4x the size of Rio de Janeiro. Dubai spans 4,114 km² (1,588 mi²) while Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km² (471 mi²) — a difference of 2,893 km². You could fit Rio de Janeiro 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, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than 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. For Rio de Janeiro, that's about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 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.
Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous city in the Americas.
Nicknamed "Cidade Maravilhosa", Rio de Janeiro has an area of 1,221 km² and is home to 6.8 million people. The city dates back to 1565. Visitors come for Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MetrôRio.
Rio de Janeiro is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous in the Americas.
Dubai has a population density of 809 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. Rio de Janeiro is dramatically more crowded, with 6.8x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Dubai in Asia versus Rio de Janeiro in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Dubai has a hot desert climate while Rio de Janeiro experiences tropical savanna conditions. Summers are notably different: Dubai averages 36°C compared to 27°C in Rio de Janeiro. When it's noon in Dubai, it's 5:00 AM in Rio de Janeiro — a 7-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Rio de Janeiro fits inside Dubai ~3 times
Density Gap
Rio de Janeiro is 6.8x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Rio de Janeiro is ~268 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).
Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Lagos (1,172 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Los Angeles (1,302 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro is 11,870 km (7,375 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 28m.
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