Lagos
1,172 km²
Phoenix
1,341 km²
Nigeria
United States
Area Comparison
Lagos is 1.1x smaller than Phoenix
Population Comparison
Lagos has 9.6x more people than Phoenix
In terms of area, Phoenix is 1.1x the size of Lagos. Phoenix spans 1,341 km² (518 mi²) while Lagos covers 1,172 km² (453 mi²) — a difference of 169 km².
To put Lagos's size in perspective, its area of 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin. Meanwhile, Phoenix at 1,341 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London.
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 Phoenix, that's about 188,000 American football fields, 23 times the area of Manhattan, or 13 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.
Phoenix is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, Phoenix is the fifth-most populous city in the United States and the most populous state capital. The Phoenix metropolitan area, with an estimated 5.19 million residents, is the tenth-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. and the most populous in the Mountain states and Southwest.
Nicknamed "Valley of the Sun", Phoenix has an area of 1,341 km² and is home to 1.6 million people. Its history stretches back to 1868. Visitors come for Camelback Mountain, Desert Botanical Garden, Heard Museum, and much more.
Phoenix is the most populous U.S. state capital and the fifth-largest city in the country with 1.6 million residents.
Lagos has a population density of 13,131 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Phoenix, with 1,201 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Lagos is dramatically more crowded, with 10.9x the population density.
Density Gap
Lagos is 10.9x more densely populated
History
Lagos is ~396 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).
Phoenix covers 1,341 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Los Angeles (1,302 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), Delhi (1,484 km²), or Mexico City (1,485 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lagos to Phoenix is 11,906 km (7,398 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 30m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.