Guangzhou
7,434 km²
Philadelphia
370 km²
China
United States
Area Comparison
Guangzhou is 20.1x larger than Philadelphia
Population Comparison
Guangzhou has 11.7x more people than Philadelphia
Yes — Guangzhou is 20.1x larger than Philadelphia by area. Guangzhou spans 7,434 km² (2,870 mi²) while Philadelphia covers 370 km² (143 mi²) — a difference of 7,064 km². You could fit Philadelphia inside Guangzhou approximately 20 times.
To put Guangzhou's size in perspective, its area of 7,434 km² is about 1.2x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Philadelphia at 370 km² is about 1.6x smaller than Seoul.
In more relatable units, Guangzhou's 7,434 km² is about 1,000,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Manhattan, or 71 times the area of Paris. Philadelphia works out to about 52,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Monaco, or 110 times the area of Central Park.
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
Philadelphia, colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous city in the United States, with a Census-estimated population of 1,574,281 in July 2025. The Philadelphia metropolitan area has 6.33 million residents and is the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan area. Philadelphia is known for its culture, cuisine, and history, maintaining contemporary influence in business and technology, sports, and music.
Also known as "Philly", Philadelphia has an area of 370 km² and is home to 1.6 million people. The city dates back to 1682. Visitors come for Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Philly Cheesesteak, and much more.
Philadelphia is the sixth-most populous US city, with an estimated 1,574,281 residents as of July 2025.
Guangzhou has a population density of 2,513 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Philadelphia, with 4,324 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Philadelphia is noticeably denser, packing 1.7 times more people per square kilometer.
Size Ratio
Philadelphia fits inside Guangzhou ~20 times
Density Gap
Philadelphia is 1.7x more densely populated
History
Guangzhou is ~1,896 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).
Philadelphia covers 370 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seattle (369 km²), Dhaka (368 km²), Portland (376 km²), Atlanta (348 km²), or Denver (401 km²).
The straight-line distance from Guangzhou to Philadelphia is 12,946 km (8,045 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~15h 44m.
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