Moscow
2,511 km²
Shenzhen
1,997 km²
Russia
China
Area Comparison
Moscow is 1.3x larger than Shenzhen
Population Comparison
Moscow has 1.4x fewer people than Shenzhen
In terms of area, Moscow is 1.3x the size of Shenzhen. Moscow spans 2,511 km² (970 mi²) while Shenzhen covers 1,997 km² (771 mi²) — a difference of 514 km².
To put Moscow's size in perspective, its area of 2,511 km² is roughly the same size as Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Shenzhen at 1,997 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
Picture Moscow another way: its area is large enough to fit about 352,000 American football fields, 42 times the area of Manhattan, or 24 times the area of Paris. Shenzhen works out to about 280,000 American football fields, 34 times the area of Manhattan, or 19 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.
Shenzhen is a prefecture-level city in the province of Guangdong, China. A special economic zone, it is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of Guangdong, bordering Hong Kong to the south, Dongguan to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, and Macau to the southwest. With a population of 17.5 million in 2020, Shenzhen is the third-most-populous city by urban population in China after Shanghai and Beijing.
Also known as "China's Silicon Valley", Shenzhen has an area of 1,997 km² and is home to 17.6 million people. It was established in 1979. Visitors come for Ping An Finance Centre, Window of the World, OCT Loft, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shenzhen Metro.
Shenzhen grew from a small town into China's third-most-populous urban city, hitting 17.5 million residents by 2020
Looking beyond city limits, the Moscow metropolitan area covers 5,891 km², which is 2.9x larger than greater Shenzhen at 1,997 km². The Shenzhen metro area is also more populous, with 17.6 million people compared to 17.1 million.
Moscow has a population density of 4,994 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Shenzhen, with 8,793 people per km², is a densely populated city. Shenzhen is noticeably denser, packing 1.8 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Moscow in Europe versus Shenzhen in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Moscow has a humid continental climate while Shenzhen experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Shenzhen stays around 15°C while Moscow drops to -8°C. When it's noon in Shenzhen, it's 7:00 AM in Moscow — a 5-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Shenzhen is 1.8x more densely populated
Time Difference
5 hours apart
History
Moscow is ~832 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).
Shenzhen covers 1,997 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Riyadh (1,798 km²), Houston (1,725 km²), or Johannesburg (1,644 km²).
The straight-line distance from Moscow to Shenzhen is 7,114 km (4,420 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~8h 52m.
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