Lagos
1,172 km²
Moscow
2,511 km²
Nigeria
Russia
Area Comparison
Lagos is 2.1x smaller than Moscow
Population Comparison
Lagos has 1.2x more people than Moscow
Moscow is significantly larger, covering 2.1 times the area of Lagos. Moscow spans 2,511 km² (970 mi²) while Lagos covers 1,172 km² (453 mi²) — a difference of 1,339 km². You could fit Lagos inside Moscow approximately 2 times.
To put Lagos's size in perspective, its area of 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin. Meanwhile, Moscow at 2,511 km² is roughly the same size as Luxembourg.
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. Moscow works out to about 352,000 American football fields, 42 times the area of Manhattan, or 24 times the area of Paris.
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.
Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents within the city limits, over 19.1 million residents in the urban area, and over 21.5 million residents in its metropolitan area. The city covers an area of 2,511 square kilometers (970 mi2), while the urban area covers 5,891 square kilometers (2,275 mi2), and the metropolitan area covers over 26,000 square kilometers (10,000 mi2).
Also known as "Third Rome", Moscow has an area of 2,511 km² and is home to 12.5 million people. It was established in 1147. Visitors come for Red Square, Kremlin, Saint Basil's Cathedral, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Moscow Metro.
Moscow's metropolitan area covers over 26,000 square kilometers, making it one of the largest metropolitan footprints in Europe.
Looking beyond city limits, the Moscow metropolitan area covers 5,891 km², which is 2.2x larger than greater Lagos at 2,706 km². The Lagos metro area is also more populous, with 21.0 million people compared to 17.1 million.
Lagos has a population density of 13,131 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Moscow, with 4,994 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Lagos is noticeably denser, packing 2.6 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Lagos in Africa versus Moscow in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Lagos has a tropical savanna climate while Moscow experiences humid continental conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Lagos stays around 27°C while Moscow drops to -8°C. When it's noon in Moscow, it's 10:00 AM in Lagos — a 2-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Lagos fits inside Moscow ~2 times
Density Gap
Lagos is 2.6x more densely populated
History
Moscow is ~325 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).
Moscow covers 2,511 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Cape Town (2,455 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), or Cairo (3,085 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lagos to Moscow is 6,250 km (3,884 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~7h 51m.
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