City Map Compare/Hangzhou vs Nairobi
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5 km
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Hangzhou

16,854 km²

Nairobi

696 km²

Hangzhou vs Nairobi - City Size Comparison

Hangzhou vs Nairobi - City Size Comparison

Hangzhou

People's Republic of China

Area16,854 km²
Population11.94M
Density708 /km²
Elevation19 m
Nairobi

Kenya

Area696 km²
Population4.73M
Density6,796 /km²
Elevation1,661 m
Metro Pop.4.7M
Founded1899
Climatesubtropical highland

Area Comparison

Hangzhou is 24.2x larger than Nairobi

Population Comparison

Hangzhou has 2.5x more people than Nairobi

Is Hangzhou Bigger Than Nairobi?

Hangzhou is significantly larger, covering 24.2 times the area of Nairobi. Hangzhou spans 16,854 km² (6,507 mi²) while Nairobi covers 696 km² (269 mi²) — a difference of 16,158 km². You could fit Nairobi inside Hangzhou approximately 24 times.

To put Hangzhou's size in perspective, its area of 16,854 km² is about 2.7x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Nairobi at 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City.

Hangzhou's footprint is roughly about 2,400,000 American football fields, 160 times the area of Paris, or 140 times the area of San Francisco — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. For Nairobi, that's about 97,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris.

About Hangzhou

Hangzhou is the capital city and most populous city of Zhejiang province, China, situated at the intersection of the southern terminus of the Grand Canal and the head of Hangzhou Bay. Renowned as one of the Eight Ancient Capitals of China, Hangzhou is celebrated for its cultural heritage and its West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Known as "Paradise on Earth", Hangzhou covers 16,854 km² with a population of 11.9 million. Hangzhou is known for West Lake, Grand Canal terminus, Lingyin Temple, among other attractions.

Hangzhou's West Lake is a UNESCO World Heritage site, drawing visitors to its celebrated cultural landscape.

About Nairobi

Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya, located in the south-central part of the country. As of 2024, it has a population of 4.8 million and a metropolitan population of 5.7 million, making it the 11th most populous city in Africa. Nicknamed the "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi is uniquely notable for being the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries. Its name originates from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, meaning "place of cool waters".

Also known as "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi has an area of 696 km² and is home to 4.7 million people. It was established in 1899. Visitors come for Nairobi National Park, Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Nairobi Commuter Rail.

Nairobi is the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries.

Population Density

Hangzhou has a population density of 708 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Nairobi, with 6,796 people per km², is a densely populated city. Nairobi is dramatically more crowded, with 9.6x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Nairobi fits inside Hangzhou ~24 times

Density Gap

Nairobi is 9.6x more densely populated

Cities Similar in Size to Hangzhou

Hangzhou covers 16,854 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Beijing (16,411 km²), Brisbane (15,826 km²), Chengdu (14,378 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), or Xi'an (10,097 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Nairobi

Nairobi covers 696 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Tehran (730 km²), Jakarta (662 km²), Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hangzhou actually bigger than Nairobi?
Hangzhou is 24.2 times larger than Nairobi by area. Hangzhou covers 16,854 km² while Nairobi spans 696 km², a difference of 16,158 km².
How many times does Nairobi fit inside Hangzhou?
Nairobi (696 km²) fits inside Hangzhou (16,854 km²) approximately 24 times. That means Hangzhou is 24.2x the area of Nairobi.
What is the population difference between Hangzhou and Nairobi?
Hangzhou has approximately 11.9 million people, while Nairobi has about 4.7 million. Hangzhou has 7.2 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Hangzhou or Nairobi?
Nairobi is more densely populated with 6,796 people per km², compared to 708 people per km².
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Hangzhou and Nairobi

The straight-line distance from Hangzhou to Nairobi is 9,440 km (5,866 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 36m.

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