Lisbon
100 km²
Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
Portugal
Brazil
Area Comparison
Lisbon is 12.2x smaller than Rio de Janeiro
Population Comparison
Lisbon has 12.3x fewer people than Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is significantly larger, covering 12.2 times the area of Lisbon. Rio de Janeiro spans 1,221 km² (471 mi²) while Lisbon covers 100 km² (39 mi²) — a difference of 1,121 km². You could fit Lisbon inside Rio de Janeiro approximately 12 times.
To put Lisbon's size in perspective, its area of 100 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London.
Lisbon's footprint is roughly about 14,000 American football fields, 50 times the area of Monaco, or 29 times the area of Central Park — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Rio de Janeiro, by comparison, equals about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.
Lisbon is the capital and most populous city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 575,739 as of 2024, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city, and the only one along the Atlantic coast, the others being on islands. The city lies in the western portion of the Iberian Peninsula, on the northern shore of the River Tagus.
Known as "City of Seven Hills", Lisbon covers 100 km² with a population of 0.6 million. The city was founded around 1200 BC. Lisbon is known for Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, Tram 28, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Lisbon Metro.
Lisbon is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city and the only European capital along the Atlantic coast.
Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous city in the Americas.
Also known as "Cidade Maravilhosa", Rio de Janeiro has an area of 1,221 km² and is home to 6.8 million people. The city dates back to 1565. Visitors come for Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MetrôRio.
Rio de Janeiro is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous in the Americas.
Looking beyond city limits, the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area covers 6,744 km², which is 2.2x larger than greater Lisbon at 3,015 km². The Rio de Janeiro metro area is also more populous, with 13.5 million people compared to 2.9 million.
Lisbon has a population density of 5,500 people per km² — a densely populated city. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Rio de Janeiro is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Lisbon in Europe versus Rio de Janeiro in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Lisbon has a Mediterranean climate while Rio de Janeiro experiences tropical savanna conditions. When it's noon in Lisbon, it's 9:00 AM in Rio de Janeiro — a 3-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Lisbon fits inside Rio de Janeiro ~12 times
Time Difference
3 hours apart
History
Lisbon is ~2,765 years older
Lisbon covers 100 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), Zurich (88 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).
Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Lagos (1,172 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Los Angeles (1,302 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro is 7,715 km (4,794 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 35m.
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