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Kenya
Australia
Area Comparison
Nairobi is 17.8x smaller than Sydney
Population Comparison
Nairobi has 1.1x fewer people than Sydney
In terms of area, Sydney is 17.8x the size of Nairobi. Sydney spans 12,368 km² (4,775 mi²) while Nairobi covers 696 km² (269 mi²) — a difference of 11,672 km². You could fit Nairobi inside Sydney approximately 17 times.
To put Nairobi's size in perspective, its area of 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City. Meanwhile, Sydney at 12,368 km² is about 2.0x the size of Shanghai.
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
Australia's largest city, known for the Opera House. Often called "The Harbour City", Sydney has an area of 12,368 km² and is home to 5.3 million people. The city dates back to 1788. Visitors come for Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Sydney Trains.
Sydney's administrative area is so large it stretches from the coast to the Blue Mountains foothills
Looking beyond city limits, the Sydney metropolitan area covers 12,368 km², which is 17.8x larger than greater Nairobi at 696 km². The Sydney metro area is also more populous, with 5.3 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Nairobi has a population density of 6,796 people per km² — a densely populated city. Sydney, with 429 people per km², is a low-density, sprawling urban area. Nairobi is dramatically more crowded, with 15.8x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Nairobi in Africa versus Sydney in Oceania. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Nairobi has a subtropical highland climate while Sydney experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Sydney, it's 5:00 AM in Nairobi — a 7-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Nairobi fits inside Sydney ~17 times
Density Gap
Nairobi is 15.8x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Sydney is ~111 years older
The straight-line distance from Nairobi to Sydney is 12,151 km (7,551 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 48m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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