Minneapolis
149 km²
Zurich
88 km²
United States
Switzerland
Area Comparison
Minneapolis is 1.7x larger than Zurich
Population Comparison
Minneapolis has 1.0x fewer people than Zurich
Yes — Minneapolis is 1.7x larger than Zurich by area. Minneapolis spans 149 km² (58 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 61 km².
To put Minneapolis's size in perspective, its area of 149 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Washington D.C.. Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).
Minneapolis's footprint is roughly about 21,000 American football fields, 74 times the area of Monaco, or 44 times the area of Central Park — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Zurich works out to about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 times the area of Monaco.
Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 census, it is the state's most populous city. Located in the state's center near the eastern border, it occupies both banks of the Upper Mississippi River and adjoins Saint Paul, the state capital of Minnesota. Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and the surrounding area are collectively known as the Twin Cities, a metropolitan area with 3.69 million residents.
Known as "Twin Cities", Minneapolis covers 149 km² with a population of 0.4 million. The city was established in 1850. Minneapolis is known for Mall of America, Mississippi River, Minnehaha Falls, among other attractions.
Minneapolis straddles both banks of the Upper Mississippi River and adjoins Saint Paul, Minnesota's state capital.
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic.
Zurich has an area of 88 km² and is home to 0.4 million people. The city dates back to 15 BC. Visitors come for Lake Zurich, Bahnhofstrasse, Grossmünster, and much more. Getting around is easy with the ZVV (S-Bahn & Tram).
Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and sits at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich in north-central Switzerland.
Minneapolis has a population density of 2,886 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Zurich, with 4,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Zurich is noticeably denser, packing 1.7 times more people per square kilometer.
Minneapolis has a hot-summer humid continental climate climate while Zurich experiences oceanic conditions.
Density Gap
Zurich is 1.7x more densely populated
History
Zurich is ~1,865 years older
Minneapolis covers 149 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Miami (143 km²), Brussels (161 km²), Washington D.C. (177 km²), San Francisco (121 km²), or Stockholm (188 km²).
Zurich covers 88 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Copenhagen (91 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).
The straight-line distance from Minneapolis to Zurich is 7,231 km (4,493 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h.
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