London
1,572 km²
Shenzhen
1,997 km²
UK
China
Area Comparison
London is 1.3x smaller than Shenzhen
Population Comparison
London has 2.0x fewer people than Shenzhen
Shenzhen is significantly larger, covering 1.3 times the area of London. Shenzhen spans 1,997 km² (771 mi²) while London covers 1,572 km² (607 mi²) — a difference of 425 km².
To put London's size in perspective, its area of 1,572 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Tokyo (city proper). Meanwhile, Shenzhen at 1,997 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
London's footprint is roughly about 220,000 American football fields, 27 times the area of Manhattan, or 15 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Shenzhen, by comparison, equals about 280,000 American football fields, 34 times the area of Manhattan, or 19 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.
Shenzhen is a prefecture-level city in the province of Guangdong, China. A special economic zone, it is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of Guangdong, bordering Hong Kong to the south, Dongguan to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, and Macau to the southwest. With a population of 17.5 million in 2020, Shenzhen is the third-most-populous city by urban population in China after Shanghai and Beijing.
Nicknamed "China's Silicon Valley", Shenzhen has an area of 1,997 km² and is home to 17.6 million people. The city dates back to 1979. Visitors come for Ping An Finance Centre, Window of the World, OCT Loft, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shenzhen Metro.
Shenzhen grew from a small town into China's third-most-populous urban city, hitting 17.5 million residents by 2020
Looking beyond city limits, the London metropolitan area covers 8,382 km², which is 4.2x larger than greater Shenzhen at 1,997 km². The Shenzhen metro area is also more populous, with 17.6 million people compared to 14.3 million.
London has a population density of 5,712 people per km² — a densely populated city. Shenzhen, with 8,793 people per km², is a densely populated city. Shenzhen is noticeably denser, packing 1.5 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — London in Europe versus Shenzhen in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
London has a oceanic climate while Shenzhen experiences humid subtropical conditions. Summers are notably different: Shenzhen averages 29°C compared to 19°C in London. When it's noon in Shenzhen, it's 4:00 AM in London — a 8-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Shenzhen is 1.5x more densely populated
Time Difference
8 hours apart
History
London is ~1,936 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).
Shenzhen covers 1,997 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Riyadh (1,798 km²), Houston (1,725 km²), or Johannesburg (1,644 km²).
The straight-line distance from London to Shenzhen is 9,596 km (5,963 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 47m.
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