Nairobi
696 km²
Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
Kenya
Brazil
Area Comparison
Nairobi is 1.8x smaller than Rio de Janeiro
Population Comparison
Nairobi has 1.4x fewer people than Rio de Janeiro
In terms of area, Rio de Janeiro is 1.8x the size of Nairobi. Rio de Janeiro spans 1,221 km² (471 mi²) while Nairobi covers 696 km² (269 mi²) — a difference of 525 km².
To put Nairobi's size in perspective, its area of 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London.
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. Rio de Janeiro, by comparison, equals about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 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.
Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous city in the Americas.
Often called "Cidade Maravilhosa", Rio de Janeiro has an area of 1,221 km² and is home to 6.8 million people. It was established in 1565. Visitors come for Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MetrôRio.
Rio de Janeiro is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous in the Americas.
Looking beyond city limits, the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area covers 6,744 km², which is 9.7x larger than greater Nairobi at 696 km². The Rio de Janeiro metro area is also more populous, with 13.5 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Nairobi has a population density of 6,796 people per km² — a densely populated city. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Nairobi is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Nairobi in Africa versus Rio de Janeiro in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Nairobi has a subtropical highland climate while Rio de Janeiro experiences tropical savanna conditions. When it's noon in Nairobi, it's 6:00 AM in Rio de Janeiro — a 6-hour time difference.
Time Difference
6 hours apart
History
Rio de Janeiro is ~334 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).
Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Lagos (1,172 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Los Angeles (1,302 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Nairobi to Rio de Janeiro is 8,927 km (5,547 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h.
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