Lisbon
100 km²
Zurich
88 km²
Portugal
Switzerland
Area Comparison
Lisbon is 1.1x larger than Zurich
Population Comparison
Lisbon has 1.3x more people than Zurich
In terms of area, Lisbon is 1.1x the size of Zurich. Lisbon spans 100 km² (39 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 12 km².
To put Lisbon's size in perspective, its area of 100 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).
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. Zurich works out to about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 times the area of Monaco.
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.
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. Its history stretches 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.
Looking beyond city limits, the Lisbon metropolitan area covers 3,015 km², which is 2.3x larger than greater Zurich at 1,334 km². The Lisbon metro area is also more populous, with 2.9 million people compared to 1.4 million.
Lisbon has a population density of 5,500 people per km² — a densely populated city. Zurich, with 4,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Lisbon is slightly more compact.
Both cities are in Europe, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Lisbon (Portugal) and Zurich (Switzerland) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Lisbon has a Mediterranean climate while Zurich experiences oceanic conditions.
History
Lisbon is ~1,185 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).
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 Lisbon to Zurich is 1,723 km (1,071 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 32m.
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