Madrid
604 km²
Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
Spain
Brazil
Area Comparison
Madrid is 2.0x smaller than Rio de Janeiro
Population Comparison
Madrid has 2.0x fewer people than Rio de Janeiro
In terms of area, Rio de Janeiro is 2.0x the size of Madrid. Rio de Janeiro spans 1,221 km² (471 mi²) while Madrid covers 604 km² (233 mi²) — a difference of 617 km². You could fit Madrid inside Rio de Janeiro approximately 2 times.
To put Madrid's size in perspective, its area of 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London.
Madrid's footprint is roughly about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Rio de Janeiro, by comparison, equals about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.
Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. It had a population of over 3.4 million in the city proper in 2025, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU, after Paris. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 square kilometres (233.89 sq mi).
Known as "La Villa y Corte", Madrid covers 604 km² with a population of 3.3 million. The city was established in 852. Madrid is known for Royal Palace of Madrid, Prado Museum, Plaza Mayor, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Madrid Metro.
Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union after Berlin, with over 3.4 million residents in the city proper
Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous city in the Americas.
Nicknamed "Cidade Maravilhosa", Rio de Janeiro has an area of 1,221 km² and is home to 6.8 million people. The city dates back to 1565. Visitors come for Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MetrôRio.
Rio de Janeiro is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous in the Americas.
Looking beyond city limits, the Madrid metropolitan area covers 8,028 km², which is 1.2x larger than greater Rio de Janeiro at 6,744 km². The Rio de Janeiro metro area is also more populous, with 13.5 million people compared to 6.8 million.
Madrid has a population density of 5,513 people per km² — a densely populated city. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Rio de Janeiro is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Madrid in Europe versus Rio de Janeiro in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Madrid has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate while Rio de Janeiro experiences tropical savanna conditions. When it's noon in Madrid, it's 8:00 AM in Rio de Janeiro — a 4-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Madrid fits inside Rio de Janeiro ~2 times
Time Difference
4 hours apart
History
Madrid is ~713 years older
Madrid covers 604 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Chicago (606 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Lagos (1,172 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Los Angeles (1,302 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Madrid to Rio de Janeiro is 8,139 km (5,058 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 5m.
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