Guangzhou
7,434 km²
Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
China
Brazil
Area Comparison
Guangzhou is 6.1x larger than Rio de Janeiro
Population Comparison
Guangzhou has 2.8x more people than Rio de Janeiro
Yes — Guangzhou is 6.1x larger than Rio de Janeiro by area. Guangzhou spans 7,434 km² (2,870 mi²) while Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km² (471 mi²) — a difference of 6,213 km². You could fit Rio de Janeiro 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, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London.
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. Rio de Janeiro works out to about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 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
Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous city in the Americas.
Nicknamed "Cidade Maravilhosa", Rio de Janeiro has an area of 1,221 km² and is home to 6.8 million people. It was established in 1565. Visitors come for Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MetrôRio.
Rio de Janeiro is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous in the Americas.
Looking beyond city limits, the Guangzhou metropolitan area covers 7,434 km², which is 1.1x larger than greater Rio de Janeiro at 6,744 km². The Guangzhou metro area is also more populous, with 18.7 million people compared to 13.5 million.
Guangzhou has a population density of 2,513 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. Rio de Janeiro is noticeably denser, packing 2.2 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Guangzhou in Asia versus Rio de Janeiro in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Guangzhou has a humid subtropical climate while Rio de Janeiro experiences tropical savanna conditions. When it's noon in Guangzhou, it's 1:00 AM in Rio de Janeiro — a 11-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Rio de Janeiro fits inside Guangzhou ~6 times
Density Gap
Rio de Janeiro is 2.2x more densely populated
Time Difference
11 hours apart
History
Guangzhou is ~1,779 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).
Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Lagos (1,172 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Los Angeles (1,302 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Guangzhou to Rio de Janeiro is 17,606 km (10,940 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~21h 13m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.