Lagos
1,172 km²
New York
783 km²
Nigeria
USA
Area Comparison
Lagos is 1.5x larger than New York
Population Comparison
Lagos has 1.8x more people than New York
In terms of area, Lagos is 1.5x the size of New York. Lagos spans 1,172 km² (453 mi²) while New York covers 783 km² (302 mi²) — a difference of 389 km².
To put Lagos's size in perspective, its area of 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin. Meanwhile, New York at 783 km² is about 1.1x smaller than Berlin.
Lagos's footprint is roughly about 164,000 American football fields, 20 times the area of Manhattan, or 11 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. New York works out to about 110,000 American football fields, 13 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 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.
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive with its respective county. It is the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the United States by both population and urban area.
Nicknamed "New York City", New York has an area of 783 km² and is home to 8.3 million people. Its history stretches back to 1624. Visitors come for Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and much more. Getting around is easy with the NYC Subway.
New York City sits on one of the world's largest natural harbors, which shaped its rise as America's commercial gateway.
Looking beyond city limits, the New York metropolitan area covers 17,405 km², which is 6.4x larger than greater Lagos at 2,706 km². The Lagos metro area is also more populous, with 21.0 million people compared to 20.1 million.
Lagos has a population density of 13,131 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. New York, with 10,651 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Both cities have comparable density, though Lagos is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Lagos in Africa versus New York in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Lagos has a tropical savanna climate while New York experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Lagos stays around 27°C while New York drops to 1°C. When it's noon in Lagos, it's 6:00 AM in New York — a 6-hour time difference.
Time Difference
6 hours apart
History
Lagos is ~152 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).
New York covers 783 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hamburg (755 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Kyoto (828 km²), Singapore (733 km²), or Santiago (838 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lagos to New York is 8,473 km (5,265 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 28m.
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