Istanbul
5,461 km²
Seattle
369 km²
Turkey
United States
Area Comparison
Istanbul is 14.8x larger than Seattle
Population Comparison
Istanbul has 20.9x more people than Seattle
In terms of area, Istanbul is 14.8x the size of Seattle. Istanbul spans 5,461 km² (2,109 mi²) while Seattle covers 369 km² (142 mi²) — a difference of 5,092 km². You could fit Seattle 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, Seattle at 369 km² is about 1.6x 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. For Seattle, 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.
Seattle is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It is the 18th-most populous city in the United States with a population of 780,995 in 2024, while the Seattle metropolitan area at over 4.15 million residents is the 15th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation. The city is the county seat of King County, the most populous county in Washington.
Also known as "The Emerald City", Seattle has an area of 369 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. It was established in 1851. Visitors come for Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Starbucks headquarters, and much more.
Seattle is Washington's most populous city with 780,995 residents in 2024, anchoring the Pacific Northwest.
Istanbul has a population density of 2,831 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Seattle, with 2,005 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Istanbul is slightly more compact.
Size Ratio
Seattle fits inside Istanbul ~14 times
Density Gap
Istanbul is 1.4x more densely populated
History
Istanbul is ~2,511 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).
Seattle covers 369 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Philadelphia (370 km²), Dhaka (368 km²), Portland (376 km²), Atlanta (348 km²), or Denver (401 km²).
The straight-line distance from Istanbul to Seattle is 9,764 km (6,067 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 59m.
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