Lagos
1,172 km²
Paris
105 km²
Nigeria
France
Area Comparison
Lagos is 11.2x larger than Paris
Population Comparison
Lagos has 7.1x more people than Paris
In terms of area, Lagos is 11.2x the size of Paris. Lagos spans 1,172 km² (453 mi²) while Paris covers 105 km² (41 mi²) — a difference of 1,067 km². You could fit Paris inside Lagos approximately 11 times.
To put Lagos's size in perspective, its area of 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin. Meanwhile, Paris at 105 km² is about 1.2x smaller than San Francisco.
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. For Paris, that's about 15,000 American football fields, 52 times the area of Monaco, or 31 times the area of Central Park.
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.
Paris is the capital and largest city of France, with an estimated city population of 2.04 million in an area of 105.4 km2 (40.7 sq mi), and a metropolitan population of 13.2 million as of January 2026. Located on the river Seine in the centre of the Île-de-France region, it is the largest metropolitan area and fourth-most populous city in the European Union (EU).
Also known as "City of Light", Paris has an area of 105 km² and is home to 2.2 million people. Its history stretches back to 250 BC. Visitors come for Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Paris Métro.
Paris packs 2.04 million people into just 105 km2, giving it one of the highest urban densities in Europe.
Looking beyond city limits, the Paris metropolitan area covers 17,174 km², which is 6.3x larger than greater Lagos at 2,706 km². The Lagos metro area is also more populous, with 21.0 million people compared to 12.3 million.
Lagos has a population density of 13,131 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Paris, with 20,571 people per km², is one of the most densely packed urban areas on Earth. Paris is noticeably denser, packing 1.6 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Lagos in Africa versus Paris in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Lagos has a tropical savanna climate while Paris experiences oceanic conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Lagos stays around 27°C while Paris drops to 4°C.
Size Ratio
Paris fits inside Lagos ~11 times
Density Gap
Paris is 1.6x more densely populated
History
Paris is ~1,722 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).
Paris covers 105 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Barcelona (101 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), Vancouver (115 km²), San Francisco (121 km²), or Copenhagen (91 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lagos to Paris is 4,708 km (2,925 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~6h 2m.
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