Nairobi
696 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
Kenya
USA
Area Comparison
Nairobi is 3.9x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
Nairobi has 6.9x more people than Washington D.C.
In terms of area, Nairobi is 3.9x the size of Washington D.C.. Nairobi spans 696 km² (269 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 519 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside Nairobi approximately 3 times.
To put Nairobi's size in perspective, its area of 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
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. For Washington D.C., that's about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 times the area of Central Park.
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.
Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia and commonly known as simply Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River across from Virginia and shares land borders with Maryland to its north and east. It was named after George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States.
Often called "D.C.", Washington D.C. has an area of 177 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1790. Visitors come for White House, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Washington Metro.
Washington D.C. sits on the Potomac River across from Virginia and is bordered by Maryland to its north and east
Looking beyond city limits, the Washington D.C. metropolitan area covers 14,412 km², which is 20.7x larger than greater Nairobi at 696 km². The Washington D.C. metro area is also more populous, with 6.3 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Nairobi has a population density of 6,796 people per km² — a densely populated city. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Nairobi is noticeably denser, packing 1.7 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Nairobi in Africa versus Washington D.C. in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Nairobi has a subtropical highland climate while Washington D.C. experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Nairobi, it's 4:00 AM in Washington D.C. — a 8-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside Nairobi ~3 times
Density Gap
Nairobi is 1.7x more densely populated
Time Difference
8 hours apart
History
Washington D.C. is ~109 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).
Washington D.C. covers 177 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Stockholm (188 km²), Brussels (161 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), Minneapolis (149 km²), or Helsinki (214 km²).
The straight-line distance from Nairobi to Washington D.C. is 12,142 km (7,545 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 47m.
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