Guangzhou
7,434 km²
Lagos
1,172 km²
China
Nigeria
Area Comparison
Guangzhou is 6.3x larger than Lagos
Population Comparison
Guangzhou has 1.2x more people than Lagos
Guangzhou is significantly larger, covering 6.3 times the area of Lagos. Guangzhou spans 7,434 km² (2,870 mi²) while Lagos covers 1,172 km² (453 mi²) — a difference of 6,262 km². You could fit Lagos inside Guangzhou approximately 6 times.
To put Guangzhou's size in perspective, its area of 7,434 km² is about 1.2x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Lagos at 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin.
Guangzhou's footprint is roughly about 1,000,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Manhattan, or 71 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Lagos, by comparison, equals about 164,000 American football fields, 20 times the area of Manhattan, or 11 times the area of Paris.
Guangzhou, also known as Canton, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong in southern China. Located on the Pearl River, about 120 kilometres (75 mi) northwest of Hong Kong and 145 kilometres (90 mi) north of Macau, Guangzhou has a history of over 2,200 years and was a major terminus of the Silk Road.
Known as "Canton", Guangzhou covers 7,434 km² with a population of 18.7 million. The city was founded around 214 BC. Guangzhou is known for Canton Tower, Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, Shamian Island, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Guangzhou Metro.
Guangzhou boasts a history of over 2,200 years and served as a major terminus of the ancient Silk Road
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.
Nicknamed "Lasgidi", Lagos has an area of 1,172 km² and is home to 15.4 million people. The city dates 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.
Looking beyond city limits, the Guangzhou metropolitan area covers 7,434 km², which is 2.7x larger than greater Lagos at 2,706 km². The Lagos metro area is also more populous, with 21.0 million people compared to 18.7 million.
Guangzhou has a population density of 2,513 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Lagos, with 13,131 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Lagos is dramatically more crowded, with 5.2x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Guangzhou in Asia versus Lagos in Africa. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Guangzhou has a humid subtropical climate while Lagos experiences tropical savanna conditions. When it's noon in Guangzhou, it's 5:00 AM in Lagos — a 7-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Lagos fits inside Guangzhou ~6 times
Density Gap
Lagos is 5.2x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Guangzhou is ~1,686 years older
Guangzhou covers 7,434 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Wuhan (8,569 km²), Perth (6,417 km²), Shanghai (6,341 km²), Melbourne (9,993 km²), or Xi'an (10,097 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 Guangzhou to Lagos is 11,724 km (7,285 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 18m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.