Manila
43 km²
Tehran
730 km²
Philippines
Iran
Area Comparison
Manila is 17.0x smaller than Tehran
Population Comparison
Manila has 4.9x fewer people than Tehran
Tehran is significantly larger, covering 17.0 times the area of Manila. Tehran spans 730 km² (282 mi²) while Manila covers 43 km² (17 mi²) — a difference of 687 km². You could fit Manila inside Tehran approximately 16 times.
To put Manila's size in perspective, its area of 43 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Manhattan. Meanwhile, Tehran at 730 km² is roughly the same size as New York City.
In more relatable units, Manila's 43 km² is about 6,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Vatican City, or 21 times the area of Monaco. For Tehran, that's about 102,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris.
Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 1,902,590 people. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on the island of Luzon, it is classified as a highly urbanized city. With 44,935 inhabitants per square kilometer (116,380/sq mi), Manila is one of the world's most densely populated cities proper.
Known as "Pearl of the Orient", Manila covers 43 km² with a population of 1.9 million. The city was established in 1571. Manila is known for Intramuros walled city, Rizal Park, Manila Bay, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the LRT & MRT Manila.
Manila has 44,935 inhabitants per square kilometer, making it one of the world's most densely populated cities proper.
Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is also the capital of Tehran province and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District. With a population of around 9 million in the city, and 16.8 million in the metropolitan area, Tehran is the most populous city in Iran and West Asia, the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo, and the 24th-most-populous metropolitan area in the world.
Tehran has an area of 730 km² and is home to 9.1 million people. It was established in 1524. Visitors come for Azadi Tower, Milad Tower, Golestan Palace, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Tehran Metro.
Tehran's metropolitan area holds 16.8 million people, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo.
Looking beyond city limits, the Tehran metropolitan area covers 2,235 km², which is 3.6x larger than greater Manila at 620 km². The Tehran metro area is also more populous, with 16.0 million people compared to 13.9 million.
Manila has a population density of 43,023 people per km² — one of the most densely packed urban areas on Earth. Tehran, with 12,507 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Manila is dramatically more crowded, with 3.4x the population density.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Manila (Philippines) and Tehran (Iran) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Manila has a tropical savanna climate while Tehran experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Manila stays around 26°C while Tehran drops to 3°C. When it's noon in Manila, it's 7.5:00 AM in Tehran — a 4.5-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Manila fits inside Tehran ~16 times
Density Gap
Manila is 3.4x more densely populated
Time Difference
4.5 hours apart
Manila covers 43 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Athens (39 km²), Tel Aviv (52 km²), Zurich (88 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), or Lisbon (100 km²).
Tehran covers 730 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Hamburg (755 km²), Nairobi (696 km²), or New York (783 km²).
The straight-line distance from Manila to Tehran is 7,238 km (4,498 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 1m.
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