City Map Compare/Nairobi vs Portland
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Nairobi

696 km²

Portland

376 km²

Nairobi vs Portland - City Size Comparison

Nairobi vs Portland - City Size Comparison

Nairobi

Kenya

Area696 km²
Population4.73M
Density6,796 /km²
Elevation1,661 m
Metro Pop.4.7M
Founded1899
Climatesubtropical highland
Portland

United States

Area376 km²
Population0.65M
Density1,729 /km²
Elevation152 m

Area Comparison

Nairobi is 1.9x larger than Portland

Population Comparison

Nairobi has 7.3x more people than Portland

Is Nairobi Bigger Than Portland?

In terms of area, Nairobi is 1.9x the size of Portland. Nairobi spans 696 km² (269 mi²) while Portland covers 376 km² (145 mi²) — a difference of 320 km².

To put Nairobi's size in perspective, its area of 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City. Meanwhile, Portland at 376 km² is about 1.6x smaller than Seoul.

Nairobi's footprint is roughly about 97,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. For Portland, that's about 53,000 American football fields, 190 times the area of Monaco, or 110 times the area of Central Park.

About Nairobi

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.

About Portland

Portland is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located in the Pacific Northwest at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, it is the 28th-most populous city in the United States, sixth-most populous on the West Coast, and fourth-most populous in the Pacific Northwest, with a population of 652,503 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolitan area, with over 2.54 million residents, is the 26th-largest metropolitan area in the nation.

Also known as "Rose City", Portland has an area of 376 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. Visitors come for Powell's City of Books, Voodoo Doughnut, Washington Park, and much more.

Portland sits at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the Pacific Northwest.

Population Density

Nairobi has a population density of 6,796 people per km² — a densely populated city. Portland, with 1,729 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Nairobi is dramatically more crowded, with 3.9x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Density Gap

Nairobi is 3.9x more densely populated

Cities Similar in Size to Nairobi

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Portland

Portland covers 376 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Philadelphia (370 km²), Seattle (369 km²), Dhaka (368 km²), Denver (401 km²), or Atlanta (348 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nairobi actually bigger than Portland?
Nairobi is 1.9 times larger than Portland by area. Nairobi covers 696 km² while Portland spans 376 km², a difference of 320 km².
How many times does Portland fit inside Nairobi?
Portland (376 km²) fits inside Nairobi (696 km²) approximately 1 times. That means Nairobi is 1.9x the area of Portland.
What is the population difference between Nairobi and Portland?
Nairobi has approximately 4.7 million people, while Portland has about 0.7 million. Nairobi has 4.1 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Nairobi or Portland?
Nairobi is more densely populated with 6,796 people per km², compared to 1,729 people per km².
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 Nairobi and Portland

The straight-line distance from Nairobi to Portland is 14,704 km (9,137 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~17h 48m.

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