Istanbul
5,461 km²
Jakarta
662 km²
Turkey
Indonesia
Area Comparison
Istanbul is 8.2x larger than Jakarta
Population Comparison
Istanbul has 1.5x more people than Jakarta
In terms of area, Istanbul is 8.2x the size of Jakarta. Istanbul spans 5,461 km² (2,109 mi²) while Jakarta covers 662 km² (256 mi²) — a difference of 4,799 km². You could fit Jakarta inside Istanbul approximately 8 times.
To put Istanbul's size in perspective, its area of 5,461 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Shanghai. Meanwhile, Jakarta at 662 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
Istanbul's footprint is roughly about 765,000 American football fields, 92 times the area of Manhattan, or 52 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. For Jakarta, that's about 93,000 American football fields, 190 times the area of Central Park, or 11 times the area of Manhattan.
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical center. With a population of over 15 million, it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is among the largest cities in Europe and in the world by population. It is a city on two continents; about two-thirds of its population live in Europe and the rest in Asia.
Known as "City on Two Continents", Istanbul covers 5,461 km² with a population of 15.5 million. The city was founded around 660 BC. Istanbul is known for Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Istanbul Metro.
Istanbul is one of the only major cities to span two continents, with about two-thirds of its population living in Europe and the rest in Asia.
Jakarta, officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta, is the de facto capital and largest city of Indonesia, with administrative status equivalent to a province. It lies on the northwestern coast of Java, borders the provinces of West Java and Banten, and faces the Java Sea to the north. Jakarta itself covers about 662 square kilometres, but the wider Jakarta metropolitan area—locally known as Jabodetabek—is among the largest urban agglomerations in the world.
Also known as "Big Durian", Jakarta has an area of 662 km² and is home to 10.6 million people. It was established in 1527. Visitors come for National Monument Monas, Istiqlal Mosque, Kota Tua old town, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Jakarta MRT.
Jakarta has administrative status equivalent to a province as the Special Capital Region of Indonesia.
Looking beyond city limits, the Jakarta metropolitan area covers 6,392 km², which is 1.2x larger than greater Istanbul at 5,461 km². The Jakarta metro area is also more populous, with 34.5 million people compared to 15.5 million.
Istanbul has a population density of 2,831 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Jakarta, with 15,952 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Jakarta is dramatically more crowded, with 5.6x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Istanbul in Europe versus Jakarta in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Istanbul has a oceanic climate while Jakarta experiences tropical monsoon conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Jakarta stays around 27°C while Istanbul drops to 6°C. When it's noon in Jakarta, it's 8:00 AM in Istanbul — a 4-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Jakarta fits inside Istanbul ~8 times
Density Gap
Jakarta is 5.6x more densely populated
Time Difference
4 hours apart
History
Istanbul is ~2,187 years older
Istanbul covers 5,461 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Shanghai (6,341 km²), Perth (6,417 km²), Dubai (4,114 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), or Karachi (3,527 km²).
Jakarta covers 662 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hyderabad (650 km²), Toronto (630 km²), Nairobi (696 km²), Chicago (606 km²), or Seoul (605 km²).
The straight-line distance from Istanbul to Jakarta is 9,454 km (5,875 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 37m.
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