Lagos
1,172 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
Nigeria
USA
Area Comparison
Lagos is 6.6x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
Lagos has 22.3x more people than Washington D.C.
Yes — Lagos is 6.6x larger than Washington D.C. by area. Lagos spans 1,172 km² (453 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 995 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside Lagos approximately 6 times.
To put Lagos's size in perspective, its area of 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
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. Washington D.C. works out to about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 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.
Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia and commonly known as simply Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River across from Virginia and shares land borders with Maryland to its north and east. It was named after George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States.
Nicknamed "D.C.", Washington D.C. has an area of 177 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1790. Visitors come for White House, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Washington Metro.
Washington D.C. sits on the Potomac River across from Virginia and is bordered by Maryland to its north and east
Looking beyond city limits, the Washington D.C. metropolitan area covers 14,412 km², which is 5.3x larger than greater Lagos at 2,706 km². The Lagos metro area is also more populous, with 21.0 million people compared to 6.3 million.
Lagos has a population density of 13,131 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Lagos is dramatically more crowded, with 3.4x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Lagos in Africa versus Washington D.C. 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 Washington D.C. experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Lagos stays around 27°C while Washington D.C. drops to 2°C. When it's noon in Lagos, it's 6:00 AM in Washington D.C. — a 6-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside Lagos ~6 times
Density Gap
Lagos is 3.4x more densely populated
Time Difference
6 hours apart
History
Lagos is ~318 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).
Washington D.C. covers 177 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Stockholm (188 km²), Brussels (161 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), Minneapolis (149 km²), or Helsinki (214 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lagos to Washington D.C. is 8,724 km (5,421 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 46m.
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