Guangzhou
7,434 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
China
USA
Area Comparison
Guangzhou is 42.0x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
Guangzhou has 27.1x more people than Washington D.C.
In terms of area, Guangzhou is 42.0x the size of Washington D.C.. Guangzhou spans 7,434 km² (2,870 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 7,257 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside Guangzhou approximately 42 times.
To put Guangzhou's size in perspective, its area of 7,434 km² is about 1.2x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
Picture Guangzhou another way: its area is large enough to fit about 1,000,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Manhattan, or 71 times the area of Paris. Washington D.C. works out to about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 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
Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia and commonly known as simply Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River across from Virginia and shares land borders with Maryland to its north and east. It was named after George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States.
Also known as "D.C.", Washington D.C. has an area of 177 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. The city dates back to 1790. Visitors come for White House, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Washington Metro.
Washington D.C. sits on the Potomac River across from Virginia and is bordered by Maryland to its north and east
Looking beyond city limits, the Washington D.C. metropolitan area covers 14,412 km², which is 1.9x larger than greater Guangzhou at 7,434 km². The Guangzhou metro area is also more populous, with 18.7 million people compared to 6.3 million.
Guangzhou has a population density of 2,513 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Washington D.C. is noticeably denser, packing 1.6 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Guangzhou in Asia versus Washington D.C. in North 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 midnight in Washington D.C. — a 13-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside Guangzhou ~42 times
Density Gap
Washington D.C. is 1.6x more densely populated
Time Difference
13 hours apart
History
Guangzhou is ~2,004 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).
Washington D.C. covers 177 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Stockholm (188 km²), Brussels (161 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), Minneapolis (149 km²), or Helsinki (214 km²).
The straight-line distance from Guangzhou to Washington D.C. is 13,034 km (8,099 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~15h 50m.
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