Lagos
1,172 km²
Tehran
730 km²
Nigeria
Iran
Area Comparison
Lagos is 1.6x larger than Tehran
Population Comparison
Lagos has 1.7x more people than Tehran
Lagos is significantly larger, covering 1.6 times the area of Tehran. Lagos spans 1,172 km² (453 mi²) while Tehran covers 730 km² (282 mi²) — a difference of 442 km².
To put Lagos's size in perspective, its area of 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin. Meanwhile, Tehran at 730 km² is roughly the same size as New York City.
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. For Tehran, that's about 102,000 American football fields, 12 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.
Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is also the capital of Tehran province and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District. With a population of around 9 million in the city, and 16.8 million in the metropolitan area, Tehran is the most populous city in Iran and West Asia, the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo, and the 24th-most-populous metropolitan area in the world.
Tehran has an area of 730 km² and is home to 9.1 million people. The city dates back to 1524. Visitors come for Azadi Tower, Milad Tower, Golestan Palace, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Tehran Metro.
Tehran's metropolitan area holds 16.8 million people, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo.
Looking beyond city limits, the Lagos metropolitan area covers 2,706 km², which is 1.2x larger than greater Tehran at 2,235 km². The Lagos metro area is also more populous, with 21.0 million people compared to 16.0 million.
Lagos has a population density of 13,131 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Tehran, with 12,507 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 Tehran in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Lagos has a tropical savanna climate while Tehran experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Lagos stays around 27°C while Tehran drops to 3°C. When it's noon in Tehran, it's 9.5:00 AM in Lagos — a 2.5-hour time difference.
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).
Tehran covers 730 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Hamburg (755 km²), Nairobi (696 km²), or New York (783 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lagos to Tehran is 5,859 km (3,641 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~7h 24m.
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