Istanbul
5,461 km²
Xi'an
10,097 km²
Turkey
People's Republic of China
Area Comparison
Istanbul is 1.8x smaller than Xi'an
Population Comparison
Istanbul has 1.2x more people than Xi'an
Yes — Xi'an is 1.8x larger than Istanbul by area. Xi'an spans 10,097 km² (3,898 mi²) while Istanbul covers 5,461 km² (2,109 mi²) — a difference of 4,636 km².
To put Istanbul's size in perspective, its area of 5,461 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Shanghai. Meanwhile, Xi'an at 10,097 km² is about 1.6x the size of Shanghai.
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. Xi'an works out to about 1,400,000 American football fields, 170 times the area of Manhattan, or 96 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.
Xi'an is the capital of the Chinese province of Shaanxi. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong plain, the city is the third-most populous city in Western China after Chongqing and Chengdu, as well as the most populous city in Northwestern China. Its total population was 12.95 million in the 2020 census, including an urban population of 9.28 million.
Nicknamed "Ancient Capital", Xi'an has an area of 10,097 km² and is home to 12.9 million people. Visitors come for Terracotta Army, Xi'an City Wall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and much more.
Xi'an's 2020 census recorded 12.95 million residents, making it the most populous city in Northwestern China.
Istanbul has a population density of 2,831 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Xi'an, with 1,283 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Istanbul is noticeably denser, packing 2.2 times more people per square kilometer.
Density Gap
Istanbul is 2.2x more densely populated
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).
Xi'an covers 10,097 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Melbourne (9,993 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), or Chengdu (14,378 km²).
The straight-line distance from Istanbul to Xi'an is 6,832 km (4,245 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~8h 32m.
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