City Map Compare/Edinburgh vs Riyadh
vs
5 km
|

Edinburgh

259 km²

Riyadh

1,798 km²

Edinburgh vs Riyadh - City Size Comparison

Edinburgh vs Riyadh - City Size Comparison

Edinburgh

United Kingdom

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

Saudi Arabia

Area1,798 km²
Population7.01M
Density3,899 /km²
Elevation612 m
Founded1746

Area Comparison

Edinburgh is 6.9x smaller than Riyadh

Population Comparison

Edinburgh has 14.3x fewer people than Riyadh

Is Edinburgh Bigger Than Riyadh?

Yes — Riyadh is 6.9x larger than Edinburgh by area. Riyadh spans 1,798 km² (694 mi²) while Edinburgh covers 259 km² (100 mi²) — a difference of 1,539 km². You could fit Edinburgh inside Riyadh approximately 6 times.

To put Edinburgh's size in perspective, its area of 259 km² is about 1.2x the size of Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Riyadh at 1,798 km² is about 1.1x the size of London.

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. Riyadh works out to about 252,000 American football fields, 30 times the area of Manhattan, or 17 times the area of Paris.

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 Riyadh

Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in the 1950s as an expansion of the 18th-century walled town, following the dismantling of its defensive fortifications.

Riyadh has an area of 1,798 km² and is home to 7.0 million people. The city dates back to 1746. Visitors come for Kingdom Centre Tower, Masmak Fortress, Al Faisaliah Tower, and much more.

Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia, sitting on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa.

Population Density

Edinburgh has a population density of 1,892 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Riyadh, with 3,899 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Riyadh is noticeably denser, packing 2.1 times more people per square kilometer.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Edinburgh fits inside Riyadh ~6 times

Density Gap

Riyadh is 2.1x more densely populated

History

Edinburgh is ~1,145 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 Riyadh

Riyadh covers 1,798 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Houston (1,725 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), Shenzhen (1,997 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), or London (1,572 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Edinburgh or Riyadh?
Riyadh is 6.9 times larger than Edinburgh by area. Riyadh covers 1,798 km² while Edinburgh spans 259 km², a difference of 1,539 km².
How many times does Edinburgh fit inside Riyadh?
Edinburgh (259 km²) fits inside Riyadh (1,798 km²) approximately 6 times. That means Riyadh is 6.9x the area of Edinburgh.
What is the population difference between Edinburgh and Riyadh?
Riyadh has approximately 7.0 million people, while Edinburgh has about 0.5 million. Riyadh has 6.5 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Edinburgh or Riyadh?
Riyadh is more densely populated with 3,899 people per km², compared to 1,892 people per km².
Which city is older, Edinburgh or Riyadh?
Edinburgh is older, founded around 601, while Riyadh was established around 1746 — a difference of about 1145 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 Riyadh

The straight-line distance from Edinburgh to Riyadh is 5,303 km (3,295 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~6h 44m.

Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.