Kyoto
828 km²
Lagos
1,172 km²
Japan
Nigeria
Area Comparison
Kyoto is 1.4x smaller than Lagos
Population Comparison
Kyoto has 10.5x fewer people than Lagos
Lagos is significantly larger, covering 1.4 times the area of Kyoto. Lagos spans 1,172 km² (453 mi²) while Kyoto covers 828 km² (320 mi²) — a difference of 344 km².
To put Kyoto's size in perspective, its area of 828 km² is roughly the same size as New York City. Meanwhile, Lagos at 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin.
Kyoto's footprint is roughly about 116,000 American football fields, 14 times the area of Manhattan, or 8 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Lagos, by comparison, equals about 164,000 American football fields, 20 times the area of Manhattan, or 11 times the area of Paris.
Kyoto, officially Kyoto City , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. As of 2020, the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it the ninth-most populous city in Japan. More than half (56.8%) of Kyoto Prefecture's population resides in the city. The city is the cultural anchor of the substantially larger Greater Kyoto, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) home to a census-estimated 3.8 million people.
Known as "Thousand-Year Capital", Kyoto covers 828 km² with a population of 1.5 million. The city was established in 794. Kyoto is known for Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion, Gion geisha district, among other attractions.
More than half of Kyoto Prefecture's entire population lives within Kyoto City itself.
Lagos, or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan port city in southwestern Nigeria. As of November 2025, the size of the city's population has been estimated to be between 17 and 21 million residents, making Lagos the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and one of the fastest-growing megacities in the world.
Often called "Lasgidi", Lagos has an area of 1,172 km² and is home to 15.4 million people. The city dates back to 1472. Visitors come for Victoria Island, Lekki Conservation Centre, Nike Art Gallery, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Lagos Rail (Blue & Red Lines).
Lagos is the most populous urban area on the African continent, with an estimated 17 to 21 million residents as of 2025.
Kyoto has a population density of 1,763 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Lagos, with 13,131 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Lagos is dramatically more crowded, with 7.4x the population density.
Density Gap
Lagos is 7.4x more densely populated
History
Kyoto is ~678 years older
Kyoto covers 828 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Santiago (838 km²), New York (783 km²), Berlin (892 km²), Hamburg (755 km²), or Bangalore (741 km²).
Lagos covers 1,172 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), Hong Kong (1,114 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), or Los Angeles (1,302 km²).
The straight-line distance from Kyoto to Lagos is 13,222 km (8,216 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~16h 3m.
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