City Map Compare/Moscow vs Sydney
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Moscow

2,511 km²

Sydney

12,368 km²

Moscow vs Sydney - City Size Comparison

Moscow vs Sydney - City Size Comparison

Moscow

Russia

Area2,511 km²
Population12.54M
Density4,994 /km²
Elevation156 m
Metro Pop.17.1M
Founded1147
Climatehumid continental
Sydney

Australia

Area12,368 km²
Population5.31M
Density429 /km²
Elevation58 m
Metro Pop.5.3M
Founded1788
Climatehumid subtropical

Area Comparison

Moscow is 4.9x smaller than Sydney

Population Comparison

Moscow has 2.4x more people than Sydney

Is Moscow Bigger Than Sydney?

Yes — Sydney is 4.9x larger than Moscow by area. Sydney spans 12,368 km² (4,775 mi²) while Moscow covers 2,511 km² (970 mi²) — a difference of 9,857 km². You could fit Moscow inside Sydney approximately 4 times.

To put Moscow's size in perspective, its area of 2,511 km² is roughly the same size as Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Sydney at 12,368 km² is about 2.0x the size of Shanghai.

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. Sydney, by comparison, equals about 1,700,000 American football fields, 120 times the area of Paris, or 100 times the area of San Francisco.

About Moscow

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.

About Sydney

Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and is the most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Hawkesbury River in the north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west.

Nicknamed "Sydneysiders", Sydney has an area of 12,368 km² and is home to 5.3 million people. It was established in 1788. Visitors come for Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Sydney Trains.

Sydney stretches roughly 80 km from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west.

Metropolitan Area Comparison

Looking beyond city limits, the Sydney metropolitan area covers 12,368 km², which is 2.1x larger than greater Moscow at 5,891 km². The Moscow metro area is also more populous, with 17.1 million people compared to 5.3 million.

Population Density

Moscow has a population density of 4,994 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Sydney, with 429 people per km², is a low-density, sprawling urban area. Moscow is dramatically more crowded, with 11.6x the population density.

This comparison spans continents — Moscow in Europe versus Sydney in Oceania. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.

Climate & Time Zone

Moscow has a humid continental climate while Sydney experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Sydney stays around 13°C while Moscow drops to -8°C. When it's noon in Sydney, it's 5:00 AM in Moscow — a 7-hour time difference.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Moscow fits inside Sydney ~4 times

Density Gap

Moscow is 11.6x more densely populated

Time Difference

7 hours apart

History

Moscow is ~641 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Moscow

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Sydney

Sydney covers 12,368 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Chengdu (14,378 km²), Xi'an (10,097 km²), Melbourne (9,993 km²), Brisbane (15,826 km²), or Beijing (16,411 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Moscow actually bigger than Sydney?
Sydney is 4.9 times larger than Moscow by area. Sydney covers 12,368 km² while Moscow spans 2,511 km², a difference of 9,857 km².
How many times does Moscow fit inside Sydney?
Moscow (2,511 km²) fits inside Sydney (12,368 km²) approximately 4 times. That means Sydney is 4.9x the area of Moscow.
What is the population difference between Moscow and Sydney?
Moscow has approximately 12.5 million people, while Sydney has about 5.3 million. Moscow has 7.2 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Moscow or Sydney?
Moscow is more densely populated with 4,994 people per km², compared to 429 people per km².
What is the time difference between Moscow and Sydney?
Moscow is in the UTC+3 timezone while Sydney is UTC+10. There is a 7-hour time difference between the two cities.
Which city is older, Moscow or Sydney?
Moscow is older, founded around 1147, while Sydney was established around 1788 — a difference of about 641 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Moscow and Sydney

The straight-line distance from Moscow to Sydney is 14,496 km (9,007 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~17h 33m.

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