Lagos
1,172 km²
Philadelphia
370 km²
Nigeria
United States
Area Comparison
Lagos is 3.2x larger than Philadelphia
Population Comparison
Lagos has 9.6x more people than Philadelphia
Lagos is significantly larger, covering 3.2 times the area of Philadelphia. Lagos spans 1,172 km² (453 mi²) while Philadelphia covers 370 km² (143 mi²) — a difference of 802 km². You could fit Philadelphia inside Lagos approximately 3 times.
To put Lagos's size in perspective, its area of 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin. Meanwhile, Philadelphia at 370 km² is about 1.6x smaller than 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. Philadelphia works out to about 52,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Monaco, or 110 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.
Philadelphia, colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, and the sixth-most populous city in the United States, with a Census-estimated population of 1,574,281 in July 2025. The Philadelphia metropolitan area has 6.33 million residents and is the nation's ninth-largest metropolitan area. Philadelphia is known for its culture, cuisine, and history, maintaining contemporary influence in business and technology, sports, and music.
Also known as "Philly", Philadelphia has an area of 370 km² and is home to 1.6 million people. Its history stretches back to 1682. Visitors come for Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Philly Cheesesteak, and much more.
Philadelphia is the sixth-most populous US city, with an estimated 1,574,281 residents as of July 2025.
Lagos has a population density of 13,131 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Philadelphia, with 4,324 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Lagos is dramatically more crowded, with 3.0x the population density.
Size Ratio
Philadelphia fits inside Lagos ~3 times
Density Gap
Lagos is 3.0x more densely populated
History
Lagos is ~210 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).
Philadelphia covers 370 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seattle (369 km²), Dhaka (368 km²), Portland (376 km²), Atlanta (348 km²), or Denver (401 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lagos to Philadelphia is 8,567 km (5,323 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 35m.
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