Istanbul
5,461 km²
San Diego
964 km²
Turkey
United States
Area Comparison
Istanbul is 5.7x larger than San Diego
Population Comparison
Istanbul has 11.1x more people than San Diego
In terms of area, Istanbul is 5.7x the size of San Diego. Istanbul spans 5,461 km² (2,109 mi²) while San Diego covers 964 km² (372 mi²) — a difference of 4,497 km². You could fit San Diego inside Istanbul approximately 5 times.
To put Istanbul's size in perspective, its area of 5,461 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Shanghai. Meanwhile, San Diego at 964 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin.
In more relatable units, Istanbul's 5,461 km² is about 765,000 American football fields, 92 times the area of Manhattan, or 52 times the area of Paris. San Diego, by comparison, equals about 135,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 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.
San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. It is the eighth-most populous city in the U.S. and second-most populous city in California with a population of over 1.4 million, while the San Diego metropolitan area with over 3.3 million residents is the 18th-largest metropolitan area in the country. San Diego is the county seat of San Diego County.
Nicknamed "America's Finest City", San Diego has an area of 964 km² and is home to 1.4 million people. Its history stretches back to 1769. Visitors come for San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, Coronado Beach, and much more.
San Diego sits directly on the Mexico-United States border, making it California's southwesternmost major city.
Istanbul has a population density of 2,831 people per km² — a moderately dense city. San Diego, with 1,442 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Istanbul is noticeably denser, packing 2.0 times more people per square kilometer.
Size Ratio
San Diego fits inside Istanbul ~5 times
Density Gap
Istanbul is 2.0x more densely populated
History
Istanbul is ~2,429 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).
San Diego covers 964 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Abu Dhabi (972 km²), Dallas (997 km²), Berlin (892 km²), Santiago (838 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Istanbul to San Diego is 11,113 km (6,905 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 34m.
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