Moscow
2,511 km²
Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
Russia
Brazil
Area Comparison
Moscow is 2.1x larger than Rio de Janeiro
Population Comparison
Moscow has 1.9x more people than Rio de Janeiro
In terms of area, Moscow is 2.1x the size of Rio de Janeiro. Moscow spans 2,511 km² (970 mi²) while Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km² (471 mi²) — a difference of 1,290 km². You could fit Rio de Janeiro inside Moscow approximately 2 times.
To put Moscow's size in perspective, its area of 2,511 km² is roughly the same size as Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London.
Moscow's footprint is roughly about 352,000 American football fields, 42 times the area of Manhattan, or 24 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Rio de Janeiro, by comparison, equals about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.
Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents within the city limits, over 19.1 million residents in the urban area, and over 21.5 million residents in its metropolitan area. The city covers an area of 2,511 square kilometers (970 mi2), while the urban area covers 5,891 square kilometers (2,275 mi2), and the metropolitan area covers over 26,000 square kilometers (10,000 mi2).
Known as "Third Rome", Moscow covers 2,511 km² with a population of 12.5 million. The city was established in 1147. Moscow is known for Red Square, Kremlin, Saint Basil's Cathedral, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Moscow Metro.
Moscow's metropolitan area covers over 26,000 square kilometers, making it one of the largest metropolitan footprints in Europe.
Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous city in the Americas.
Nicknamed "Cidade Maravilhosa", Rio de Janeiro has an area of 1,221 km² and is home to 6.8 million people. The city dates back to 1565. Visitors come for Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MetrôRio.
Rio de Janeiro is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous in the Americas.
Looking beyond city limits, the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area covers 6,744 km², which is 1.1x larger than greater Moscow at 5,891 km². The Moscow metro area is also more populous, with 17.1 million people compared to 13.5 million.
Moscow has a population density of 4,994 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Rio de Janeiro is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Moscow in Europe versus Rio de Janeiro in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Moscow has a humid continental climate while Rio de Janeiro experiences tropical savanna conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Rio de Janeiro stays around 21°C while Moscow drops to -8°C. When it's noon in Moscow, it's 6:00 AM in Rio de Janeiro — a 6-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Rio de Janeiro fits inside Moscow ~2 times
Time Difference
6 hours apart
History
Moscow is ~418 years older
Moscow covers 2,511 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Cape Town (2,455 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), or Cairo (3,085 km²).
Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Lagos (1,172 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Los Angeles (1,302 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Moscow to Rio de Janeiro is 11,544 km (7,173 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 5m.
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