Istanbul
5,461 km²
New York
783 km²
Turkey
USA
Area Comparison
Istanbul is 7.0x larger than New York
Population Comparison
Istanbul has 1.9x more people than New York
Istanbul is significantly larger, covering 7.0 times the area of New York. Istanbul spans 5,461 km² (2,109 mi²) while New York covers 783 km² (302 mi²) — a difference of 4,678 km². You could fit New York inside Istanbul approximately 6 times.
To put Istanbul's size in perspective, its area of 5,461 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Shanghai. Meanwhile, New York at 783 km² is about 1.1x smaller than Berlin.
Picture Istanbul another way: its area is large enough to fit about 765,000 American football fields, 92 times the area of Manhattan, or 52 times the area of Paris. For New York, that's about 110,000 American football fields, 13 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris.
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.
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive with its respective county. It is the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the United States by both population and urban area.
Often called "New York City", New York has an area of 783 km² and is home to 8.3 million people. The city dates back to 1624. Visitors come for Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and much more. Getting around is easy with the NYC Subway.
New York City sits on one of the world's largest natural harbors, which shaped its rise as America's commercial gateway.
Looking beyond city limits, the New York metropolitan area covers 17,405 km², which is 3.2x larger than greater Istanbul at 5,461 km². The New York metro area is also more populous, with 20.1 million people compared to 15.5 million.
Istanbul has a population density of 2,831 people per km² — a moderately dense city. New York, with 10,651 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. New York is dramatically more crowded, with 3.8x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Istanbul in Europe versus New York in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Istanbul has a oceanic climate while New York experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Istanbul, it's 4:00 AM in New York — a 8-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
New York fits inside Istanbul ~6 times
Density Gap
New York is 3.8x more densely populated
Time Difference
8 hours apart
History
Istanbul is ~2,284 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).
New York covers 783 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hamburg (755 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Kyoto (828 km²), Singapore (733 km²), or Santiago (838 km²).
The straight-line distance from Istanbul to New York is 8,070 km (5,014 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 60m.
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