Manila
43 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
Philippines
USA
Area Comparison
Manila is 4.1x smaller than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
Manila has 2.7x more people than Washington D.C.
Yes — Washington D.C. is 4.1x larger than Manila by area. Washington D.C. spans 177 km² (68 mi²) while Manila covers 43 km² (17 mi²) — a difference of 134 km². You could fit Manila inside Washington D.C. approximately 4 times.
To put Manila's size in perspective, its area of 43 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Manhattan. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
Picture Manila another way: its area is large enough to fit about 6,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Vatican City, or 21 times the area of Monaco. Washington D.C., by comparison, equals about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 times the area of Central Park.
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.
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.
Nicknamed "D.C.", Washington D.C. has an area of 177 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. It was established in 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 23.2x larger than greater Manila at 620 km². The Manila metro area is also more populous, with 13.9 million people compared to 6.3 million.
Manila has a population density of 43,023 people per km² — one of the most densely packed urban areas on Earth. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Manila is dramatically more crowded, with 11.0x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Manila in Asia versus Washington D.C. in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Manila has a tropical savanna climate while Washington D.C. experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Manila stays around 26°C while Washington D.C. drops to 2°C. When it's noon in Manila, it's midnight in Washington D.C. — a 13-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Manila fits inside Washington D.C. ~4 times
Density Gap
Manila is 11.0x more densely populated
Time Difference
13 hours apart
History
Manila is ~219 years older
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).
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 Manila to Washington D.C. is 13,777 km (8,561 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~16h 43m.
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