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China
Brazil
Area Comparison
Guangzhou is 4.9x larger than São Paulo
Population Comparison
Guangzhou has 1.5x more people than São Paulo
In terms of area, Guangzhou is 4.9x the size of São Paulo. Guangzhou spans 7,434 km² (2,870 mi²) while São Paulo covers 1,521 km² (587 mi²) — a difference of 5,913 km². You could fit São Paulo inside Guangzhou approximately 4 times.
To put Guangzhou's size in perspective, its area of 7,434 km² is about 1.2x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, São Paulo at 1,521 km² is roughly the same size as London.
A major port city and trade hub in southern China. 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, Cantonese cuisine (dim sum), Canton Fair, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Guangzhou Metro.
Guangzhou has been a major trading port for over 2,000 years and was a key stop on the Maritime Silk Road
Brazil's largest city and financial center. Often called "Sampa", São Paulo has an area of 1,521 km² and is home to 12.3 million people. It was established in 1554. Visitors come for Paulista Avenue, Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo Museum of Art, and much more. Getting around is easy with the São Paulo Metro.
São Paulo has the largest Japanese community outside Japan
Looking beyond city limits, the São Paulo metropolitan area covers 7,947 km², which is 1.1x larger than greater Guangzhou at 7,434 km². The São Paulo metro area is also more populous, with 22.0 million people compared to 18.7 million.
Guangzhou has a population density of 2,513 people per km² — a moderately dense city. São Paulo, with 8,107 people per km², is a densely populated city. São Paulo is dramatically more crowded, with 3.2x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Guangzhou in Asia versus São Paulo in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Both cities share a humid subtropical climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each. When it's noon in Guangzhou, it's 1:00 AM in São Paulo — a 11-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
São Paulo fits inside Guangzhou ~4 times
Density Gap
São Paulo is 3.2x more densely populated
Time Difference
11 hours apart
History
Guangzhou is ~1,768 years older
The straight-line distance from Guangzhou to São Paulo is 17,964 km (11,162 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~21h 38m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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