Istanbul
5,461 km²
Tel Aviv
52 km²
Turkey
Israel
Area Comparison
Istanbul is 105.0x larger than Tel Aviv
Population Comparison
Istanbul has 32.9x more people than Tel Aviv
Istanbul is significantly larger, covering 105.0 times the area of Tel Aviv. Istanbul spans 5,461 km² (2,109 mi²) while Tel Aviv covers 52 km² (20 mi²) — a difference of 5,409 km². You could fit Tel Aviv inside Istanbul approximately 105 times.
To put Istanbul's size in perspective, its area of 5,461 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Shanghai. Meanwhile, Tel Aviv at 52 km² is about 1.1x smaller than Manhattan.
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. Tel Aviv, by comparison, equals about 7,300 American football fields, 110 times the area of Vatican City, or 26 times the area of Monaco.
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.
Tel Aviv, officially Tel Aviv-Yafo, and also known as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a population of 494,900, it is the economic and technological center of the country and a global high-tech hub. If East Jerusalem is considered part of Israel, Tel Aviv is the country's second-most-populous city, after Jerusalem; if not, Tel Aviv is the most populous city, ahead of West Jerusalem.
Also known as "Tel Aviv-Jaffa", Tel Aviv has an area of 52 km² and is home to 0.5 million people. The city dates back to 1909. Visitors come for White City Bauhaus architecture, Jaffa Old City, Carmel Market, and much more.
Tel Aviv is the economic and technological center of Israel and a global high-tech hub on the Mediterranean coast.
Istanbul has a population density of 2,831 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Tel Aviv, with 9,038 people per km², is a densely populated city. Tel Aviv is dramatically more crowded, with 3.2x the population density.
Size Ratio
Tel Aviv fits inside Istanbul ~105 times
Density Gap
Tel Aviv is 3.2x more densely populated
History
Istanbul is ~2,569 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).
Tel Aviv covers 52 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Manila (43 km²), Athens (39 km²), Zurich (88 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), or Lisbon (100 km²).
The straight-line distance from Istanbul to Tel Aviv is 1,119 km (695 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 49m.
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