Nairobi
696 km²
New York
783 km²
Kenya
USA
Area Comparison
Nairobi is 1.1x smaller than New York
Population Comparison
Nairobi has 1.8x fewer people than New York
Yes — New York is 1.1x larger than Nairobi by area. New York spans 783 km² (302 mi²) while Nairobi covers 696 km² (269 mi²) — a difference of 87 km².
To put Nairobi's size in perspective, its area of 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City. Meanwhile, New York at 783 km² is about 1.1x smaller than Berlin.
Picture Nairobi another way: its area is large enough to fit about 97,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris. New York works out to about 110,000 American football fields, 13 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris.
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya, located in the south-central part of the country. As of 2024, it has a population of 4.8 million and a metropolitan population of 5.7 million, making it the 11th most populous city in Africa. Nicknamed the "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi is uniquely notable for being the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries. Its name originates from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, meaning "place of cool waters".
Known as "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi covers 696 km² with a population of 4.7 million. The city was established in 1899. Nairobi is known for Nairobi National Park, Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Nairobi Commuter Rail.
Nairobi is the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries.
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive with its respective county. It is the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the United States by both population and urban area.
Often called "New York City", New York has an area of 783 km² and is home to 8.3 million people. The city dates back to 1624. Visitors come for Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and much more. Getting around is easy with the NYC Subway.
New York City sits on one of the world's largest natural harbors, which shaped its rise as America's commercial gateway.
Looking beyond city limits, the New York metropolitan area covers 17,405 km², which is 25.0x larger than greater Nairobi at 696 km². The New York metro area is also more populous, with 20.1 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Nairobi has a population density of 6,796 people per km² — a densely populated city. New York, with 10,651 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. New York is noticeably denser, packing 1.6 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Nairobi in Africa versus New York in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Nairobi has a subtropical highland climate while New York experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Nairobi stays around 17°C while New York drops to 1°C. When it's noon in Nairobi, it's 4:00 AM in New York — a 8-hour time difference.
Density Gap
New York is 1.6x more densely populated
Time Difference
8 hours apart
History
New York is ~275 years older
Nairobi covers 696 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Tehran (730 km²), Jakarta (662 km²), Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
New York covers 783 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hamburg (755 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Kyoto (828 km²), Singapore (733 km²), or Santiago (838 km²).
The straight-line distance from Nairobi to New York is 11,843 km (7,359 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 26m.
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