Moscow
2,511 km²
Tehran
730 km²
Russia
Iran
Area Comparison
Moscow is 3.4x larger than Tehran
Population Comparison
Moscow has 1.4x more people than Tehran
In terms of area, Moscow is 3.4x the size of Tehran. Moscow spans 2,511 km² (970 mi²) while Tehran covers 730 km² (282 mi²) — a difference of 1,781 km². You could fit Tehran inside Moscow approximately 3 times.
To put Moscow's size in perspective, its area of 2,511 km² is roughly the same size as Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Tehran at 730 km² is roughly the same size as New York City.
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. Tehran works out to about 102,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 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.
Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is also the capital of Tehran province and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District. With a population of around 9 million in the city, and 16.8 million in the metropolitan area, Tehran is the most populous city in Iran and West Asia, the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo, and the 24th-most-populous metropolitan area in the world.
Tehran has an area of 730 km² and is home to 9.1 million people. Its history stretches back to 1524. Visitors come for Azadi Tower, Milad Tower, Golestan Palace, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Tehran Metro.
Tehran's metropolitan area holds 16.8 million people, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo.
Looking beyond city limits, the Moscow metropolitan area covers 5,891 km², which is 2.6x larger than greater Tehran at 2,235 km². The Moscow metro area is also more populous, with 17.1 million people compared to 16.0 million.
Moscow has a population density of 4,994 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Tehran, with 12,507 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Tehran is noticeably denser, packing 2.5 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Moscow in Europe versus Tehran in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Moscow has a humid continental climate while Tehran experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions. Summers are notably different: Tehran averages 30°C compared to 19°C in Moscow.
Size Ratio
Tehran fits inside Moscow ~3 times
Density Gap
Tehran is 2.5x more densely populated
History
Moscow is ~377 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).
Tehran covers 730 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Hamburg (755 km²), Nairobi (696 km²), or New York (783 km²).
The straight-line distance from Moscow to Tehran is 2,464 km (1,531 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 24m.
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