City Map Compare/Edinburgh vs Paris
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Edinburgh

259 km²

Paris

105 km²

Edinburgh vs Paris - City Size Comparison

Edinburgh vs Paris - City Size Comparison

Edinburgh

United Kingdom

Area259 km²
Population0.49M
Density1,892 /km²
Elevation47 m
Founded601
Paris

France

Area105 km²
Population2.16M
Density20,571 /km²
Elevation35 m
Metro Pop.12.3M
Founded250 BC
Climateoceanic

Area Comparison

Edinburgh is 2.5x larger than Paris

Population Comparison

Edinburgh has 4.4x fewer people than Paris

Is Edinburgh Bigger Than Paris?

Edinburgh is significantly larger, covering 2.5 times the area of Paris. Edinburgh spans 259 km² (100 mi²) while Paris covers 105 km² (41 mi²) — a difference of 154 km². You could fit Paris inside Edinburgh approximately 2 times.

To put Edinburgh's size in perspective, its area of 259 km² is about 1.2x the size of Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Paris at 105 km² is about 1.2x smaller than San Francisco.

In more relatable units, Edinburgh's 259 km² is about 36,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Monaco, or 76 times the area of Central Park. For Paris, that's about 15,000 American football fields, 52 times the area of Monaco, or 31 times the area of Central Park.

About Edinburgh

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.

About Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city of France, with an estimated city population of 2.04 million in an area of 105.4 km2 (40.7 sq mi), and a metropolitan population of 13.2 million as of January 2026. Located on the river Seine in the centre of the Île-de-France region, it is the largest metropolitan area and fourth-most populous city in the European Union (EU).

Also known as "City of Light", Paris has an area of 105 km² and is home to 2.2 million people. It was founded around 250 BC. Visitors come for Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Paris Métro.

Paris packs 2.04 million people into just 105 km2, giving it one of the highest urban densities in Europe.

Population Density

Edinburgh has a population density of 1,892 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Paris, with 20,571 people per km², is one of the most densely packed urban areas on Earth. Paris is dramatically more crowded, with 10.9x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Paris fits inside Edinburgh ~2 times

Density Gap

Paris is 10.9x more densely populated

History

Paris is ~851 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Edinburgh

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Paris

Paris covers 105 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Barcelona (101 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), Vancouver (115 km²), San Francisco (121 km²), or Copenhagen (91 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Edinburgh actually bigger than Paris?
Edinburgh is 2.5 times larger than Paris by area. Edinburgh covers 259 km² while Paris spans 105 km², a difference of 154 km².
How many times does Paris fit inside Edinburgh?
Paris (105 km²) fits inside Edinburgh (259 km²) approximately 2 times. That means Edinburgh is 2.5x the area of Paris.
What is the population difference between Edinburgh and Paris?
Paris has approximately 2.2 million people, while Edinburgh has about 0.5 million. Paris has 1.7 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Edinburgh or Paris?
Paris is more densely populated with 20,571 people per km², compared to 1,892 people per km².
Which city is older, Edinburgh or Paris?
Paris is older, founded around -250, while Edinburgh was established around 601 — a difference of about 851 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Edinburgh and Paris

The straight-line distance from Edinburgh to Paris is 873 km (543 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 32m.

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