Edinburgh
259 km²
Helsinki
214 km²
United Kingdom
Finland
Area Comparison
Edinburgh is 1.2x larger than Helsinki
Population Comparison
Edinburgh has 1.4x fewer people than Helsinki
Edinburgh is significantly larger, covering 1.2 times the area of Helsinki. Edinburgh spans 259 km² (100 mi²) while Helsinki covers 214 km² (83 mi²) — a difference of 45 km².
To put Edinburgh's size in perspective, its area of 259 km² is about 1.2x the size of Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Helsinki at 214 km² is roughly the same size as Amsterdam.
Picture Edinburgh another way: its area is large enough to fit about 36,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Monaco, or 76 times the area of Central Park. For Helsinki, that's about 30,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 63 times the area of Central Park.
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.
Known as "Auld Reekie", Edinburgh covers 259 km² with a population of 0.5 million. The city was established in 601. Edinburgh is known for Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat, among other attractions.
Edinburgh is bounded by the Firth of Forth to the north and the Pentland Hills to the south.
Helsinki is the capital and most populous city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About 694,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.3 million in the capital region and 1.6 million in the metropolitan area. As the most populous urban area in Finland, it is the country's most significant centre for politics, education, finance, culture, and research.
Often called "Daughter of the Baltic", Helsinki has an area of 214 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. It was established in 1550. Visitors come for Helsinki Cathedral, Suomenlinna fortress, Temppeliaukio Church, and much more.
Helsinki sits on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and serves as the capital of Finland's Uusimaa region.
Edinburgh has a population density of 1,892 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Helsinki, with 3,224 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Helsinki is noticeably denser, packing 1.7 times more people per square kilometer.
Density Gap
Helsinki is 1.7x more densely populated
History
Edinburgh is ~949 years older
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).
Helsinki covers 214 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Amsterdam (219 km²), Osaka (225 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), Boston (232 km²), or Kuala Lumpur (243 km²).
The straight-line distance from Edinburgh to Helsinki is 1,705 km (1,059 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 30m.
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