Istanbul
5,461 km²
Philadelphia
370 km²
Turkey
United States
Area Comparison
Istanbul is 14.8x larger than Philadelphia
Population Comparison
Istanbul has 9.7x more people than Philadelphia
Istanbul is significantly larger, covering 14.8 times the area of Philadelphia. Istanbul spans 5,461 km² (2,109 mi²) while Philadelphia covers 370 km² (143 mi²) — a difference of 5,091 km². You could fit Philadelphia inside Istanbul approximately 14 times.
To put Istanbul's size in perspective, its area of 5,461 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Shanghai. Meanwhile, Philadelphia at 370 km² is about 1.6x smaller than Seoul.
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 Philadelphia, that's about 52,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Monaco, or 110 times the area of Central Park.
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.
Philadelphia, colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous city in the United States, with a Census-estimated population of 1,574,281 in July 2025. The Philadelphia metropolitan area has 6.33 million residents and is the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan area. Philadelphia is known for its culture, cuisine, and history, maintaining contemporary influence in business and technology, sports, and music.
Often called "Philly", Philadelphia has an area of 370 km² and is home to 1.6 million people. Its history stretches back to 1682. Visitors come for Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Philly Cheesesteak, and much more.
Philadelphia is the sixth-most populous US city, with an estimated 1,574,281 residents as of July 2025.
Istanbul has a population density of 2,831 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Philadelphia, with 4,324 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Philadelphia is noticeably denser, packing 1.5 times more people per square kilometer.
Size Ratio
Philadelphia fits inside Istanbul ~14 times
Density Gap
Philadelphia is 1.5x more densely populated
History
Istanbul is ~2,342 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).
Philadelphia covers 370 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seattle (369 km²), Dhaka (368 km²), Portland (376 km²), Atlanta (348 km²), or Denver (401 km²).
The straight-line distance from Istanbul to Philadelphia is 8,199 km (5,095 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 9m.
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