London
1,572 km²
Riyadh
1,798 km²
UK
Saudi Arabia
Area Comparison
London is 1.1x smaller than Riyadh
Population Comparison
London has 1.3x more people than Riyadh
Yes — Riyadh is 1.1x larger than London by area. Riyadh spans 1,798 km² (694 mi²) while London covers 1,572 km² (607 mi²) — a difference of 226 km².
To put London's size in perspective, its area of 1,572 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Tokyo (city proper). Meanwhile, Riyadh at 1,798 km² is about 1.1x the size of London.
Picture London another way: its area is large enough to fit about 220,000 American football fields, 27 times the area of Manhattan, or 15 times the area of Paris. Riyadh, by comparison, equals about 252,000 American football fields, 30 times the area of Manhattan, or 17 times the area of Paris.
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of 9.1 million people in 2024. Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 15.1 million. London stands on the River Thames in southeast England, at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) tidal estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years.
Known as "The Big Smoke", London covers 1,572 km² with a population of 9.0 million. The city was established in 43. London is known for Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the London Underground.
London has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years, tracing its roots back to Roman times around 47 AD.
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in the 1950s as an expansion of the 18th-century walled town, following the dismantling of its defensive fortifications.
Riyadh has an area of 1,798 km² and is home to 7.0 million people. It was established in 1746. Visitors come for Kingdom Centre Tower, Masmak Fortress, Al Faisaliah Tower, and much more.
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia, sitting on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa.
London has a population density of 5,712 people per km² — a densely populated city. Riyadh, with 3,899 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though London is slightly more compact.
Density Gap
London is 1.5x more densely populated
History
London is ~1,703 years older
London covers 1,572 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Bangkok (1,569 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), São Paulo (1,521 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), or Mexico City (1,485 km²).
Riyadh covers 1,798 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Houston (1,725 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), Shenzhen (1,997 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), or London (1,572 km²).
The straight-line distance from London to Riyadh is 4,949 km (3,075 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~6h 19m.
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