Nairobi
696 km²
Oslo
454 km²
Kenya
Norway
Area Comparison
Nairobi is 1.5x larger than Oslo
Population Comparison
Nairobi has 6.6x more people than Oslo
Nairobi is significantly larger, covering 1.5 times the area of Oslo. Nairobi spans 696 km² (269 mi²) while Oslo covers 454 km² (175 mi²) — a difference of 242 km².
To put Nairobi's size in perspective, its area of 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City. Meanwhile, Oslo at 454 km² is about 1.3x smaller than Seoul.
In more relatable units, Nairobi's 696 km² is about 97,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris. Oslo, by comparison, equals about 64,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Central Park, or 8 times the area of Manhattan.
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.
Oslo is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of 724,290 in 2025, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,110,887 in 2025, and the metropolitan area had an estimated population of 1,546,706 in 2021.
Also known as "Tigerstaden", Oslo has an area of 454 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. It was established in 1048. Visitors come for Vigeland Park, Oslo Opera House, Akershus Fortress, and much more.
Oslo is both a county and a municipality, with the city itself home to about 724,000 residents in 2025.
Nairobi has a population density of 6,796 people per km² — a densely populated city. Oslo, with 1,586 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Nairobi is dramatically more crowded, with 4.3x the population density.
Density Gap
Nairobi is 4.3x more densely populated
History
Oslo is ~851 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).
Oslo covers 454 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Prague (496 km²), Vienna (415 km²), Montreal (498 km²), Denver (401 km²), or Warsaw (517 km²).
The straight-line distance from Nairobi to Oslo is 7,171 km (4,456 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~8h 56m.
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