Houston
1,725 km²
Johannesburg
1,644 km²
United States
South Africa
Area Comparison
Houston is 1.0x larger than Johannesburg
Population Comparison
Houston has 2.1x fewer people than Johannesburg
In terms of area, Houston is 1.0x the size of Johannesburg. Houston spans 1,725 km² (666 mi²) while Johannesburg covers 1,644 km² (635 mi²) — a difference of 81 km².
To put Houston's size in perspective, its area of 1,725 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Johannesburg at 1,644 km² is roughly the same size as London.
In more relatable units, Houston's 1,725 km² is about 242,000 American football fields, 29 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris. For Johannesburg, that's about 230,000 American football fields, 28 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris.
Houston is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the Southern United States. It is the fourth-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.3 million at the 2020 census. The Greater Houston metropolitan area, at 7.8 million residents, is the fifth-most populous metropolitan area in the nation and second-most populous in Texas. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, Houston is the county seat of Harris County.
Known as "Space City", Houston covers 1,725 km² with a population of 2.3 million. The city was established in 1836. Houston is known for NASA Johnson Space Center, Space Center Houston, Houston Astros, among other attractions.
Houston is the fourth-most populous US city with 2.3 million residents at the 2020 census, leading the entire South.
Johannesburg, colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg or "The City of Gold", is the most populous city in South Africa. The City of Johannesburg itself has a population of 5,538,596, while the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality has a population of 6,599,190, making it one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, and seat of the country's highest court, the Constitutional Court.
Often called "Jozi", Johannesburg has an area of 1,644 km² and is home to 4.8 million people. The city dates back to 1886. Visitors come for Apartheid Museum, Soweto township, Constitutional Court, and much more.
Johannesburg ranks among the world's 100 largest urban areas, with a metro population of about 6.6 million.
Houston has a population density of 1,333 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Johannesburg, with 2,920 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Johannesburg is noticeably denser, packing 2.2 times more people per square kilometer.
Density Gap
Johannesburg is 2.2x more densely populated
Houston covers 1,725 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Riyadh (1,798 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bangkok (1,569 km²).
Johannesburg covers 1,644 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Bogotá (1,578 km²), London (1,572 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), Houston (1,725 km²), or São Paulo (1,521 km²).
The straight-line distance from Houston to Johannesburg is 14,499 km (9,009 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~17h 33m.
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