Lima
2,672 km²
San Francisco
121 km²
Peru
USA
Area Comparison
Lima is 22.1x larger than San Francisco
Population Comparison
Lima has 11.4x more people than San Francisco
In terms of area, Lima is 22.1x the size of San Francisco. Lima spans 2,672 km² (1,032 mi²) while San Francisco covers 121 km² (47 mi²) — a difference of 2,551 km². You could fit San Francisco inside Lima approximately 22 times.
To put Lima's size in perspective, its area of 2,672 km² is roughly the same size as Luxembourg. Meanwhile, San Francisco at 121 km² is about 1.2x the size of Paris (city proper).
In more relatable units, Lima's 2,672 km² is about 374,000 American football fields, 45 times the area of Manhattan, or 25 times the area of Paris. San Francisco, by comparison, equals about 17,000 American football fields, 60 times the area of Monaco, or 35 times the area of Central Park.
Lima is the capital and largest city of Peru, as well as a primate city. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of the central coastal part of the country, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The city is considered the political, cultural, financial and commercial center of Peru. Due to its geostrategic importance, the Globalization and World Cities Research Network has categorized it as a "beta" tier city.
Known as "City of Kings", Lima covers 2,672 km² with a population of 9.9 million. The city was established in 1535. Lima is known for Plaza Mayor de Lima, Miraflores district, Larco Museum, among other attractions.
Lima sprawls across the desert valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín Rivers along Peru's Pacific coast.
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the fourth-most populous city in California and the 17th-most populous in the United States, with a population of 826,079 in 2025. Among U.S. cities with a population of 300,000 or more, San Francisco is ranked first by per capita income, second by population density, and sixth by aggregate income as of 2023.
Nicknamed "The City by the Bay", San Francisco has an area of 121 km² and is home to 0.9 million people. Its history stretches back to 1776. Visitors come for Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Cable cars, and much more. Getting around is easy with the BART & Muni.
San Francisco ranks first by per capita income among all US cities with 300,000+ residents as of 2023.
Lima has a population density of 3,720 people per km² — a moderately dense city. San Francisco, with 7,190 people per km², is a densely populated city. San Francisco is noticeably denser, packing 1.9 times more people per square kilometer.
Lima has a desert climate climate while San Francisco experiences Mediterranean conditions.
Size Ratio
San Francisco fits inside Lima ~22 times
Density Gap
San Francisco is 1.9x more densely populated
History
Lima is ~241 years older
Lima covers 2,672 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Moscow (2,511 km²), Cape Town (2,455 km²), Cairo (3,085 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), or Hanoi (3,359 km²).
San Francisco covers 121 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Vancouver (115 km²), Paris (105 km²), Miami (143 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), or Lisbon (100 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lima to San Francisco is 7,282 km (4,525 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 4m.
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