Lima
2,672 km²
Zurich
88 km²
Peru
Switzerland
Area Comparison
Lima is 30.4x larger than Zurich
Population Comparison
Lima has 23.1x more people than Zurich
Lima is significantly larger, covering 30.4 times the area of Zurich. Lima spans 2,672 km² (1,032 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 2,584 km². You could fit Zurich inside Lima approximately 30 times.
To put Lima's size in perspective, its area of 2,672 km² is roughly the same size as Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).
Lima's footprint is roughly about 374,000 American football fields, 45 times the area of Manhattan, or 25 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Zurich, by comparison, equals about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 times the area of Monaco.
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.
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic.
Zurich has an area of 88 km² and is home to 0.4 million people. The city dates back to 15 BC. Visitors come for Lake Zurich, Bahnhofstrasse, Grossmünster, and much more. Getting around is easy with the ZVV (S-Bahn & Tram).
Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and sits at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich in north-central Switzerland.
Lima has a population density of 3,720 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Zurich, with 4,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Zurich is slightly more compact.
Lima has a desert climate climate while Zurich experiences oceanic conditions.
Size Ratio
Zurich fits inside Lima ~30 times
Density Gap
Zurich is 1.3x more densely populated
History
Zurich is ~1,550 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).
Zurich covers 88 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Copenhagen (91 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lima to Zurich is 10,663 km (6,626 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 3m.
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