Los Angeles
1,302 km²
Tehran
730 km²
USA
Iran
Area Comparison
Los Angeles is 1.8x larger than Tehran
Population Comparison
Los Angeles has 2.3x fewer people than Tehran
Yes — Los Angeles is 1.8x larger than Tehran by area. Los Angeles spans 1,302 km² (503 mi²) while Tehran covers 730 km² (282 mi²) — a difference of 572 km².
To put Los Angeles's size in perspective, its area of 1,302 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London. Meanwhile, Tehran at 730 km² is roughly the same size as New York City.
Los Angeles's footprint is roughly about 182,000 American football fields, 22 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. For Tehran, that's about 102,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris.
Los Angeles (LA) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With an estimated 3.88 million residents within the city limits as of 2024, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, behind New York City, and the largest city in the Western United States. The city has an ethnically and culturally diverse population, and is the principal city of a metropolitan area of 12.9 million people (2024).
Known as "The City of Angels", Los Angeles covers 1,302 km² with a population of 4.0 million. The city was established in 1781. Los Angeles is known for Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica Pier, Beverly Hills, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the LA Metro.
Los Angeles is the second-most populous city in the United States, home to 3.88 million residents within city limits as of 2024.
Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is also the capital of Tehran province and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District. With a population of around 9 million in the city, and 16.8 million in the metropolitan area, Tehran is the most populous city in Iran and West Asia, the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo, and the 24th-most-populous metropolitan area in the world.
Tehran has an area of 730 km² and is home to 9.1 million people. It was established in 1524. Visitors come for Azadi Tower, Milad Tower, Golestan Palace, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Tehran Metro.
Tehran's metropolitan area holds 16.8 million people, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo.
Looking beyond city limits, the Los Angeles metropolitan area covers 12,562 km², which is 5.6x larger than greater Tehran at 2,235 km². The Tehran metro area is also more populous, with 16.0 million people compared to 13.2 million.
Los Angeles has a population density of 3,049 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Tehran, with 12,507 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Tehran is dramatically more crowded, with 4.1x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Los Angeles in North America versus Tehran in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Los Angeles has a Mediterranean climate while Tehran experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions. When it's noon in Tehran, it's 0.5:00 AM in Los Angeles — a 11.5-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Tehran is 4.1x more densely populated
Time Difference
11.5 hours apart
History
Tehran is ~257 years older
Los Angeles covers 1,302 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Rome (1,285 km²), Phoenix (1,341 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), San Antonio (1,209 km²), or Lagos (1,172 km²).
Tehran covers 730 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Hamburg (755 km²), Nairobi (696 km²), or New York (783 km²).
The straight-line distance from Los Angeles to Tehran is 12,186 km (7,572 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 50m.
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