Madrid
604 km²
Shenzhen
1,997 km²
Spain
China
Area Comparison
Madrid is 3.3x smaller than Shenzhen
Population Comparison
Madrid has 5.3x fewer people than Shenzhen
Shenzhen is significantly larger, covering 3.3 times the area of Madrid. Shenzhen spans 1,997 km² (771 mi²) while Madrid covers 604 km² (233 mi²) — a difference of 1,393 km². You could fit Madrid inside Shenzhen approximately 3 times.
To put Madrid's size in perspective, its area of 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Shenzhen at 1,997 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
In more relatable units, Madrid's 604 km² is about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan. For Shenzhen, that's about 280,000 American football fields, 34 times the area of Manhattan, or 19 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
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.
Also known as "China's Silicon Valley", Shenzhen has an area of 1,997 km² and is home to 17.6 million people. It was established in 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 Madrid metropolitan area covers 8,028 km², which is 4.0x larger than greater Shenzhen at 1,997 km². The Shenzhen metro area is also more populous, with 17.6 million people compared to 6.8 million.
Madrid has a population density of 5,513 people per km² — a densely populated city. Shenzhen, with 8,793 people per km², is a densely populated city. Shenzhen is noticeably denser, packing 1.6 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Madrid in Europe versus Shenzhen in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Madrid has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate while Shenzhen experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Shenzhen, it's 5:00 AM in Madrid — a 7-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Madrid fits inside Shenzhen ~3 times
Density Gap
Shenzhen is 1.6x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Madrid is ~1,127 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).
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 Madrid to Shenzhen is 10,511 km (6,531 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 52m.
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