Johannesburg
1,644 km²
London
1,572 km²
South Africa
UK
Area Comparison
Johannesburg is 1.0x larger than London
Population Comparison
Johannesburg has 1.9x fewer people than London
Johannesburg is significantly larger, covering 1.0 times the area of London. Johannesburg spans 1,644 km² (635 mi²) while London covers 1,572 km² (607 mi²) — a difference of 72 km².
To put Johannesburg's size in perspective, its area of 1,644 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, London at 1,572 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Tokyo (city proper).
Johannesburg's footprint is roughly about 230,000 American football fields, 28 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. London, by comparison, equals about 220,000 American football fields, 27 times the area of Manhattan, or 15 times the area of Paris.
Johannesburg, colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg or "The City of Gold", is the most populous city in South Africa. The City of Johannesburg itself has a population of 5,538,596, while the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality has a population of 6,599,190, making it one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, and seat of the country's highest court, the Constitutional Court.
Known as "Jozi", Johannesburg covers 1,644 km² with a population of 4.8 million. The city was established in 1886. Johannesburg is known for Apartheid Museum, Soweto township, Constitutional Court, among other attractions.
Johannesburg ranks among the world's 100 largest urban areas, with a metro population of about 6.6 million.
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of 9.1 million people in 2024. Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 15.1 million. London stands on the River Thames in southeast England, at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) tidal estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years.
Also known as "The Big Smoke", London has an area of 1,572 km² and is home to 9.0 million people. The city dates back to 43. Visitors come for Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, and much more. Getting around is easy with the London Underground.
London has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years, tracing its roots back to Roman times around 47 AD.
Johannesburg has a population density of 2,920 people per km² — a moderately dense city. London, with 5,712 people per km², is a densely populated city. London is noticeably denser, packing 2.0 times more people per square kilometer.
Density Gap
London is 2.0x more densely populated
History
London is ~1,843 years older
Johannesburg covers 1,644 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Bogotá (1,578 km²), London (1,572 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), Houston (1,725 km²), or São Paulo (1,521 km²).
London covers 1,572 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Bangkok (1,569 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), São Paulo (1,521 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), or Mexico City (1,485 km²).
The straight-line distance from Johannesburg to London is 9,070 km (5,636 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 10m.
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