City Map Compare/Johannesburg vs Tehran
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Johannesburg

1,644 km²

Tehran

730 km²

Johannesburg vs Tehran - City Size Comparison

Johannesburg vs Tehran - City Size Comparison

Johannesburg

South Africa

Area1,644 km²
Population4.80M
Density2,920 /km²
Elevation1,753 m
Founded1886
Tehran

Iran

Area730 km²
Population9.13M
Density12,507 /km²
Elevation1,189 m
Metro Pop.16.0M
Founded1524
Climatehot-summer Mediterranean

Area Comparison

Johannesburg is 2.3x larger than Tehran

Population Comparison

Johannesburg has 1.9x fewer people than Tehran

Is Johannesburg Bigger Than Tehran?

Yes — Johannesburg is 2.3x larger than Tehran by area. Johannesburg spans 1,644 km² (635 mi²) while Tehran covers 730 km² (282 mi²) — a difference of 914 km². You could fit Tehran inside Johannesburg approximately 2 times.

To put Johannesburg's size in perspective, its area of 1,644 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Tehran at 730 km² is roughly the same size as New York City.

Picture Johannesburg another way: its area is large enough to fit about 230,000 American football fields, 28 times the area of Manhattan, or 16 times the area of Paris. Tehran works out to about 102,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris.

About Johannesburg

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.

About Tehran

Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is also the capital of Tehran province and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District. With a population of around 9 million in the city, and 16.8 million in the metropolitan area, Tehran is the most populous city in Iran and West Asia, the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo, and the 24th-most-populous metropolitan area in the world.

Tehran has an area of 730 km² and is home to 9.1 million people. Its history stretches back to 1524. Visitors come for Azadi Tower, Milad Tower, Golestan Palace, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Tehran Metro.

Tehran's metropolitan area holds 16.8 million people, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo.

Population Density

Johannesburg has a population density of 2,920 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Tehran, with 12,507 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Tehran is dramatically more crowded, with 4.3x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Tehran fits inside Johannesburg ~2 times

Density Gap

Tehran is 4.3x more densely populated

History

Tehran is ~362 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Johannesburg

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Tehran

Tehran covers 730 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Hamburg (755 km²), Nairobi (696 km²), or New York (783 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Johannesburg or Tehran?
Johannesburg is 2.3 times larger than Tehran by area. Johannesburg covers 1,644 km² while Tehran spans 730 km², a difference of 914 km².
How many times does Tehran fit inside Johannesburg?
Tehran (730 km²) fits inside Johannesburg (1,644 km²) approximately 2 times. That means Johannesburg is 2.3x the area of Tehran.
What is the population difference between Johannesburg and Tehran?
Tehran has approximately 9.1 million people, while Johannesburg has about 4.8 million. Tehran has 4.3 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Johannesburg or Tehran?
Tehran is more densely populated with 12,507 people per km², compared to 2,920 people per km².
Which city is older, Johannesburg or Tehran?
Tehran is older, founded around 1524, while Johannesburg was established around 1886 — a difference of about 362 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Johannesburg and Tehran

The straight-line distance from Johannesburg to Tehran is 7,306 km (4,540 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 6m.

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