Hanoi
3,359 km²
Shanghai
6,341 km²
Vietnam
China
Area Comparison
Hanoi is 1.9x smaller than Shanghai
Population Comparison
Hanoi has 3.1x fewer people than Shanghai
In terms of area, Shanghai is 1.9x the size of Hanoi. Shanghai spans 6,341 km² (2,448 mi²) while Hanoi covers 3,359 km² (1,297 mi²) — a difference of 2,982 km².
To put Hanoi's size in perspective, its area of 3,359 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Rhode Island. Meanwhile, Shanghai at 6,341 km² is about 1.5x the size of Los Angeles metro.
Picture Hanoi another way: its area is large enough to fit about 470,000 American football fields, 57 times the area of Manhattan, or 32 times the area of Paris. Shanghai works out to about 888,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Manhattan, or 60 times the area of Paris.
Hanoi is the capital and second-most populous municipality of Vietnam. It encompasses an area of 3,358.6 km2 (1,296.8 mi2), and as of 2025 has a population of 8,807,523. Hanoi had the second-highest gross regional domestic product of all Vietnamese provinces and municipalities at US$48 billion in 2023, behind Ho Chi Minh City. It hosts 78 foreign embassies, the headquarters of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA), its Vietnam National University system, and other governmental organizations.
Known as "City Between Rivers", Hanoi covers 3,359 km² with a population of 8.1 million. The city was established in 1010. Hanoi is known for Hoan Kiem Lake, Old Quarter, Temple of Literature, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Hanoi Metro.
Hanoi encompasses 3,358.6 square kilometers and had a population of nearly 8.8 million as of 2025.
Shanghai is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. It has a population of 29,558,908 in the urban area as of 2025. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River bisecting the city. Shanghai is a global center for finance, business and economics, research, science and technology, manufacturing, transportation, tourism, and culture. The Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port.
Nicknamed "Pearl of the Orient", Shanghai has an area of 6,341 km² and is home to 24.9 million people. Its history stretches back to 1291. Visitors come for The Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shanghai Metro.
Shanghai's urban population reached 29.5 million in 2025, making it the most populous urban area in all of China.
Looking beyond city limits, the Shanghai metropolitan area covers 6,341 km², which is 1.9x larger than greater Hanoi at 3,359 km². The Shanghai metro area is also more populous, with 28.5 million people compared to 8.1 million.
Hanoi has a population density of 2,397 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Shanghai, with 3,922 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Shanghai is noticeably denser, packing 1.6 times more people per square kilometer.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Hanoi (Vietnam) and Shanghai (China) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Both cities share a humid subtropical climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each.
Density Gap
Shanghai is 1.6x more densely populated
History
Hanoi is ~281 years older
Hanoi covers 3,359 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Karachi (3,527 km²), Cairo (3,085 km²), Dubai (4,114 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), or Moscow (2,511 km²).
Shanghai covers 6,341 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Perth (6,417 km²), Istanbul (5,461 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), or Dubai (4,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Hanoi to Shanghai is 1,926 km (1,197 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 46m.
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