Guangzhou
7,434 km²
Manila
43 km²
China
Philippines
Area Comparison
Guangzhou is 172.9x larger than Manila
Population Comparison
Guangzhou has 10.1x more people than Manila
In terms of area, Guangzhou is 172.9x the size of Manila. Guangzhou spans 7,434 km² (2,870 mi²) while Manila covers 43 km² (17 mi²) — a difference of 7,391 km². You could fit Manila inside Guangzhou approximately 172 times.
To put Guangzhou's size in perspective, its area of 7,434 km² is about 1.2x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Manila at 43 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Manhattan.
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. For Manila, that's about 6,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Vatican City, or 21 times the area of Monaco.
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
Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 1,902,590 people. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on the island of Luzon, it is classified as a highly urbanized city. With 44,935 inhabitants per square kilometer (116,380/sq mi), Manila is one of the world's most densely populated cities proper.
Also known as "Pearl of the Orient", Manila has an area of 43 km² and is home to 1.9 million people. It was established in 1571. Visitors come for Intramuros walled city, Rizal Park, Manila Bay, and much more. Getting around is easy with the LRT & MRT Manila.
Manila has 44,935 inhabitants per square kilometer, making it one of the world's most densely populated cities proper.
Looking beyond city limits, the Guangzhou metropolitan area covers 7,434 km², which is 12.0x larger than greater Manila at 620 km². The Guangzhou metro area is also more populous, with 18.7 million people compared to 13.9 million.
Guangzhou has a population density of 2,513 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Manila, with 43,023 people per km², is one of the most densely packed urban areas on Earth. Manila is dramatically more crowded, with 17.1x the population density.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Guangzhou (China) and Manila (Philippines) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Guangzhou has a humid subtropical climate while Manila experiences tropical savanna conditions.
Size Ratio
Manila fits inside Guangzhou ~172 times
Density Gap
Manila is 17.1x more densely populated
History
Guangzhou is ~1,785 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).
Manila covers 43 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Athens (39 km²), Tel Aviv (52 km²), Zurich (88 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), or Lisbon (100 km²).
The straight-line distance from Guangzhou to Manila is 1,248 km (776 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 58m.
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