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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.
Kenya's capital and East Africa's largest city. Known as "The Green City in 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, Safari tourism, 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 with a national park within its borders — you can see lions with skyscrapers in the background
Brazil's iconic coastal city known for Carnival. Often called "The Marvelous City", 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, Copacabana Beach, Carnival, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MetrôRio.
Rio's Christ the Redeemer statue is struck by lightning an average of 6 times per year
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
The straight-line distance from Nairobi to Rio de Janeiro is 8,927 km (5,547 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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