Madrid
604 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
Spain
USA
Area Comparison
Madrid is 3.4x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
Madrid has 4.8x more people than Washington D.C.
In terms of area, Madrid is 3.4x the size of Washington D.C.. Madrid spans 604 km² (233 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 427 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside Madrid approximately 3 times.
To put Madrid's size in perspective, its area of 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
Picture Madrid another way: its area is large enough to fit about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan. For Washington D.C., that's about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 times the area of Central Park.
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
Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia and commonly known as simply Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River across from Virginia and shares land borders with Maryland to its north and east. It was named after George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States.
Also known as "D.C.", Washington D.C. has an area of 177 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1790. Visitors come for White House, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Washington Metro.
Washington D.C. sits on the Potomac River across from Virginia and is bordered by Maryland to its north and east
Looking beyond city limits, the Washington D.C. metropolitan area covers 14,412 km², which is 1.8x larger than greater Madrid at 8,028 km². The Madrid metro area is also more populous, with 6.8 million people compared to 6.3 million.
Madrid has a population density of 5,513 people per km² — a densely populated city. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Madrid is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Madrid in Europe versus Washington D.C. in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Madrid has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate while Washington D.C. experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Madrid, it's 6:00 AM in Washington D.C. — a 6-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside Madrid ~3 times
Density Gap
Madrid is 1.4x more densely populated
Time Difference
6 hours apart
History
Madrid is ~938 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).
Washington D.C. covers 177 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Stockholm (188 km²), Brussels (161 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), Minneapolis (149 km²), or Helsinki (214 km²).
The straight-line distance from Madrid to Washington D.C. is 6,088 km (3,783 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~7h 40m.
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