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Vietnam
Brazil
Area Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City is 1.7x larger than Rio de Janeiro
Population Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City has 1.3x more people than Rio de Janeiro
In terms of area, Ho Chi Minh City is 1.7x the size of Rio de Janeiro. Ho Chi Minh City spans 2,061 km² (796 mi²) while Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km² (471 mi²) — a difference of 840 km².
To put Ho Chi Minh City's size in perspective, its area of 2,061 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper). Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London.
Vietnam's largest city and economic center. Known as "Saigon", Ho Chi Minh City covers 2,061 km² with a population of 9.0 million. The city was established in 1698. Ho Chi Minh City is known for War Remnants Museum, Cu Chi Tunnels, Bến Thành Market, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the HCMC Metro (opening 2024).
The city was renamed from Saigon in 1976, but locals still commonly call it Saigon
Brazil's iconic coastal city known for Carnival. Often called "The Marvelous City", Rio de Janeiro has an area of 1,221 km² and is home to 6.8 million people. It was established in 1565. Visitors come for Christ the Redeemer, Copacabana Beach, Carnival, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MetrôRio.
Rio's Christ the Redeemer statue is struck by lightning an average of 6 times per year
Looking beyond city limits, the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area covers 6,744 km², which is 3.3x larger than greater Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km². The Rio de Janeiro metro area is also more populous, with 13.5 million people compared to 9.0 million.
Ho Chi Minh City has a population density of 4,362 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Rio de Janeiro is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Ho Chi Minh City in Asia versus Rio de Janeiro in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Both cities share a tropical savanna climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each. When it's noon in Ho Chi Minh City, it's 2:00 AM in Rio de Janeiro — a 10-hour time difference.
Time Difference
10 hours apart
History
Rio de Janeiro is ~133 years older
The straight-line distance from Ho Chi Minh City to Rio de Janeiro is 16,542 km (10,279 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~19h 58m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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