Madrid
604 km²
Riyadh
1,798 km²
Spain
Saudi Arabia
Area Comparison
Madrid is 3.0x smaller than Riyadh
Population Comparison
Madrid has 2.1x fewer people than Riyadh
In terms of area, Riyadh is 3.0x the size of Madrid. Riyadh spans 1,798 km² (694 mi²) while Madrid covers 604 km² (233 mi²) — a difference of 1,194 km². You could fit Madrid inside Riyadh approximately 2 times.
To put Madrid's size in perspective, its area of 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Riyadh at 1,798 km² is about 1.1x the size of 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. Riyadh works out to about 252,000 American football fields, 30 times the area of Manhattan, or 17 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
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. Its history stretches back to 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.
Madrid has a population density of 5,513 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 Madrid is slightly more compact.
Size Ratio
Madrid fits inside Riyadh ~2 times
Density Gap
Madrid is 1.4x more densely populated
History
Madrid is ~894 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).
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 Madrid to Riyadh is 4,967 km (3,086 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~6h 21m.
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