Madrid
604 km²
Xi'an
10,097 km²
Spain
People's Republic of China
Area Comparison
Madrid is 16.7x smaller than Xi'an
Population Comparison
Madrid has 3.9x fewer people than Xi'an
Yes — Xi'an is 16.7x larger than Madrid by area. Xi'an spans 10,097 km² (3,898 mi²) while Madrid covers 604 km² (233 mi²) — a difference of 9,493 km². You could fit Madrid inside Xi'an approximately 16 times.
To put Madrid's size in perspective, its area of 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Xi'an at 10,097 km² is about 1.6x the size of Shanghai.
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. Xi'an, by comparison, equals about 1,400,000 American football fields, 170 times the area of Manhattan, or 96 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
Xi'an is the capital of the Chinese province of Shaanxi. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong plain, the city is the third-most populous city in Western China after Chongqing and Chengdu, as well as the most populous city in Northwestern China. Its total population was 12.95 million in the 2020 census, including an urban population of 9.28 million.
Often called "Ancient Capital", Xi'an has an area of 10,097 km² and is home to 12.9 million people. Visitors come for Terracotta Army, Xi'an City Wall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and much more.
Xi'an's 2020 census recorded 12.95 million residents, making it the most populous city in Northwestern China.
Madrid has a population density of 5,513 people per km² — a densely populated city. Xi'an, with 1,283 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Madrid is dramatically more crowded, with 4.3x the population density.
Size Ratio
Madrid fits inside Xi'an ~16 times
Density Gap
Madrid is 4.3x more densely populated
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).
Xi'an covers 10,097 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Melbourne (9,993 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), or Chengdu (14,378 km²).
The straight-line distance from Madrid to Xi'an is 9,224 km (5,731 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 21m.
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