Lagos
1,172 km²
Madrid
604 km²
Nigeria
Spain
Area Comparison
Lagos is 1.9x larger than Madrid
Population Comparison
Lagos has 4.6x more people than Madrid
Lagos is significantly larger, covering 1.9 times the area of Madrid. Lagos spans 1,172 km² (453 mi²) while Madrid covers 604 km² (233 mi²) — a difference of 568 km².
To put Lagos's size in perspective, its area of 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin. Meanwhile, Madrid at 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
Picture Lagos another way: its area is large enough to fit about 164,000 American football fields, 20 times the area of Manhattan, or 11 times the area of Paris. Madrid works out to about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
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.
Known as "Lasgidi", Lagos covers 1,172 km² with a population of 15.4 million. The city was established in 1472. Lagos is known for Victoria Island, Lekki Conservation Centre, Nike Art Gallery, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is 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.
Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. It had a population of over 3.4 million in the city proper in 2025, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU, after Paris. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 square kilometres (233.89 sq mi).
Also known as "La Villa y Corte", Madrid has an area of 604 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. It was established in 852. Visitors come for Royal Palace of Madrid, Prado Museum, Plaza Mayor, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Madrid Metro.
Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union after Berlin, with over 3.4 million residents in the city proper
Looking beyond city limits, the Madrid metropolitan area covers 8,028 km², which is 3.0x larger than greater Lagos at 2,706 km². The Lagos metro area is also more populous, with 21.0 million people compared to 6.8 million.
Lagos has a population density of 13,131 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Madrid, with 5,513 people per km², is a densely populated city. Lagos is noticeably denser, packing 2.4 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Lagos in Africa versus Madrid in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Lagos has a tropical savanna climate while Madrid experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Lagos stays around 27°C while Madrid drops to 6°C.
Density Gap
Lagos is 2.4x more densely populated
History
Madrid is ~620 years older
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).
Madrid covers 604 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Chicago (606 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lagos to Madrid is 3,834 km (2,382 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~5h 1m.
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