Istanbul
5,461 km²
Oslo
454 km²
Turkey
Norway
Area Comparison
Istanbul is 12.0x larger than Oslo
Population Comparison
Istanbul has 21.5x more people than Oslo
In terms of area, Istanbul is 12.0x the size of Oslo. Istanbul spans 5,461 km² (2,109 mi²) while Oslo covers 454 km² (175 mi²) — a difference of 5,007 km². You could fit Oslo inside Istanbul approximately 12 times.
To put Istanbul's size in perspective, its area of 5,461 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Shanghai. Meanwhile, Oslo at 454 km² is about 1.3x smaller than 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. Oslo, by comparison, equals about 64,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Central Park, or 8 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.
Oslo is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of 724,290 in 2025, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,110,887 in 2025, and the metropolitan area had an estimated population of 1,546,706 in 2021.
Also known as "Tigerstaden", Oslo has an area of 454 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1048. Visitors come for Vigeland Park, Oslo Opera House, Akershus Fortress, and much more.
Oslo is both a county and a municipality, with the city itself home to about 724,000 residents in 2025.
Istanbul has a population density of 2,831 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Oslo, with 1,586 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Istanbul is noticeably denser, packing 1.8 times more people per square kilometer.
Size Ratio
Oslo fits inside Istanbul ~12 times
Density Gap
Istanbul is 1.8x more densely populated
History
Istanbul is ~1,708 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).
Oslo covers 454 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Prague (496 km²), Vienna (415 km²), Montreal (498 km²), Denver (401 km²), or Warsaw (517 km²).
The straight-line distance from Istanbul to Oslo is 2,449 km (1,521 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 23m.
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