Ho Chi Minh City
2,061 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
2,061 km²
177 km²
Vietnam
USA
Area Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City is 11.6x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City has 13.0x more people than Washington D.C.
Yes — Ho Chi Minh City is 11.6x larger than Washington D.C. by area. Ho Chi Minh City spans 2,061 km² (796 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 1,884 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside Ho Chi Minh City approximately 11 times.
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, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
Picture Ho Chi Minh City another way: its area is large enough to fit about 289,000 American football fields, 35 times the area of Manhattan, or 20 times the area of Paris. Washington D.C., by comparison, equals about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 times the area of Central Park.
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is the most populous municipality of Vietnam, with a population of more than 14 million in 2025. Its geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigon River. As the largest financial centre in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has the largest gross regional domestic product out of all Vietnam provinces and municipalities, contributing around a quarter of the country's total GDP.
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 Independence Palace, Bitexco Financial Tower, War Remnants Museum, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the HCMC Metro (opening 2024).
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's largest financial center and contributes around a quarter of the country's total GDP.
Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia and commonly known as simply Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River across from Virginia and shares land borders with Maryland to its north and east. It was named after George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States.
Nicknamed "D.C.", Washington D.C. has an area of 177 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1790. Visitors come for White House, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Washington Metro.
Washington D.C. sits on the Potomac River across from Virginia and is bordered by Maryland to its north and east
Looking beyond city limits, the Washington D.C. metropolitan area covers 14,412 km², which is 7.0x larger than greater Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km². The Ho Chi Minh City metro area is also more populous, with 9.0 million people compared to 6.3 million.
Ho Chi Minh City has a population density of 4,362 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Ho Chi Minh City is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Ho Chi Minh City in Asia versus Washington D.C. in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical savanna climate while Washington D.C. experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Ho Chi Minh City stays around 27°C while Washington D.C. drops to 2°C. When it's noon in Ho Chi Minh City, it's midnight in Washington D.C. — a 12-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside Ho Chi Minh City ~11 times
Time Difference
12 hours apart
Ho Chi Minh City covers 2,061 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Shenzhen (1,997 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Riyadh (1,798 km²), Cape Town (2,455 km²), or Houston (1,725 km²).
Washington D.C. covers 177 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Stockholm (188 km²), Brussels (161 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), Minneapolis (149 km²), or Helsinki (214 km²).
The straight-line distance from Ho Chi Minh City to Washington D.C. is 14,472 km (8,993 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~17h 32m.
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