Lisbon
100 km²
Shanghai
6,341 km²
Portugal
China
Area Comparison
Lisbon is 63.4x smaller than Shanghai
Population Comparison
Lisbon has 45.2x fewer people than Shanghai
Shanghai is significantly larger, covering 63.4 times the area of Lisbon. Shanghai spans 6,341 km² (2,448 mi²) while Lisbon covers 100 km² (39 mi²) — a difference of 6,241 km². You could fit Lisbon inside Shanghai approximately 63 times.
To put Lisbon's size in perspective, its area of 100 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, Shanghai at 6,341 km² is about 1.5x the size of Los Angeles metro.
In more relatable units, Lisbon's 100 km² is about 14,000 American football fields, 50 times the area of Monaco, or 29 times the area of Central Park. For Shanghai, that's about 888,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Manhattan, or 60 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.
Shanghai is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. It has a population of 29,558,908 in the urban area as of 2025. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River bisecting the city. Shanghai is a global center for finance, business and economics, research, science and technology, manufacturing, transportation, tourism, and culture. The Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port.
Nicknamed "Pearl of the Orient", Shanghai has an area of 6,341 km² and is home to 24.9 million people. The city dates back to 1291. Visitors come for The Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shanghai Metro.
Shanghai's urban population reached 29.5 million in 2025, making it the most populous urban area in all of China.
Looking beyond city limits, the Shanghai metropolitan area covers 6,341 km², which is 2.1x larger than greater Lisbon at 3,015 km². The Shanghai metro area is also more populous, with 28.5 million people compared to 2.9 million.
Lisbon has a population density of 5,500 people per km² — a densely populated city. Shanghai, with 3,922 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Lisbon is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Lisbon in Europe versus Shanghai in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Lisbon has a Mediterranean climate while Shanghai experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Shanghai, it's 4:00 AM in Lisbon — a 8-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Lisbon fits inside Shanghai ~63 times
Density Gap
Lisbon is 1.4x more densely populated
Time Difference
8 hours apart
History
Lisbon is ~2,491 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).
Shanghai covers 6,341 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Perth (6,417 km²), Istanbul (5,461 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), or Dubai (4,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lisbon to Shanghai is 10,709 km (6,654 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 6m.
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