Guangzhou
7,434 km²
Zurich
88 km²
China
Switzerland
Area Comparison
Guangzhou is 84.5x larger than Zurich
Population Comparison
Guangzhou has 43.4x more people than Zurich
Yes — Guangzhou is 84.5x larger than Zurich by area. Guangzhou spans 7,434 km² (2,870 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 7,346 km². You could fit Zurich inside Guangzhou approximately 84 times.
To put Guangzhou's size in perspective, its area of 7,434 km² is about 1.2x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).
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. Zurich works out to about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 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
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic.
Zurich has an area of 88 km² and is home to 0.4 million people. The city dates back to 15 BC. Visitors come for Lake Zurich, Bahnhofstrasse, Grossmünster, and much more. Getting around is easy with the ZVV (S-Bahn & Tram).
Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and sits at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich in north-central Switzerland.
Looking beyond city limits, the Guangzhou metropolitan area covers 7,434 km², which is 5.6x larger than greater Zurich at 1,334 km². The Guangzhou metro area is also more populous, with 18.7 million people compared to 1.4 million.
Guangzhou has a population density of 2,513 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Zurich, with 4,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Zurich is noticeably denser, packing 1.9 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Guangzhou in Asia versus Zurich in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Guangzhou has a humid subtropical climate while Zurich experiences oceanic conditions. Summers are notably different: Guangzhou averages 29°C compared to 19°C in Zurich. When it's noon in Guangzhou, it's 5:00 AM in Zurich — a 7-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Zurich fits inside Guangzhou ~84 times
Density Gap
Zurich is 1.9x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Guangzhou is ~199 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).
Zurich covers 88 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Copenhagen (91 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).
The straight-line distance from Guangzhou to Zurich is 9,172 km (5,699 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 17m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.