Helsinki
214 km²
Seoul
605 km²
Finland
South Korea
Area Comparison
Helsinki is 2.8x smaller than Seoul
Population Comparison
Helsinki has 14.2x fewer people than Seoul
In terms of area, Seoul is 2.8x the size of Helsinki. Seoul spans 605 km² (234 mi²) while Helsinki covers 214 km² (83 mi²) — a difference of 391 km². You could fit Helsinki inside Seoul approximately 2 times.
To put Helsinki's size in perspective, its area of 214 km² is roughly the same size as Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Seoul at 605 km² is about 1.3x smaller than New York City.
Helsinki's footprint is roughly about 30,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 63 times the area of Central Park — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Seoul, by comparison, equals about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
Helsinki is the capital and most populous city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About 694,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.3 million in the capital region and 1.6 million in the metropolitan area. As the most populous urban area in Finland, it is the country's most significant centre for politics, education, finance, culture, and research.
Known as "Daughter of the Baltic", Helsinki covers 214 km² with a population of 0.7 million. The city was established in 1550. Helsinki is known for Helsinki Cathedral, Suomenlinna fortress, Temppeliaukio Church, among other attractions.
Helsinki sits on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and serves as the capital of Finland's Uusimaa region.
Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea, and the largest city in the whole of Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, behind New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Paris, and London, and hosts more than half of South Korea's population.
Seoul has an area of 605 km² and is home to 9.8 million people. The city dates back to 18 BC. Visitors come for Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gangnam district, Myeongdong shopping, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Seoul Metro.
Seoul Metropolitan Area emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, behind only NYC, Tokyo, LA, Paris, and London.
Helsinki has a population density of 3,224 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Seoul, with 16,149 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Seoul is dramatically more crowded, with 5.0x the population density.
Helsinki has a warm-summer humid continental climate climate while Seoul experiences humid continental conditions.
Size Ratio
Helsinki fits inside Seoul ~2 times
Density Gap
Seoul is 5.0x more densely populated
History
Seoul is ~1,568 years older
Helsinki covers 214 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Amsterdam (219 km²), Osaka (225 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), Boston (232 km²), or Kuala Lumpur (243 km²).
Seoul covers 605 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Chicago (606 km²), Madrid (604 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Helsinki to Seoul is 7,058 km (4,385 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~8h 48m.
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