New York
783 km²
Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
USA
Brazil
Area Comparison
New York is 1.6x smaller than Rio de Janeiro
Population Comparison
New York has 1.2x more people than Rio de Janeiro
Yes — Rio de Janeiro is 1.6x larger than New York by area. Rio de Janeiro spans 1,221 km² (471 mi²) while New York covers 783 km² (302 mi²) — a difference of 438 km².
To put New York's size in perspective, its area of 783 km² is about 1.1x smaller than Berlin. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London.
Picture New York another way: its area is large enough to fit about 110,000 American football fields, 13 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris. For Rio de Janeiro, that's about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive with its respective county. It is the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the United States by both population and urban area.
Known as "New York City", New York covers 783 km² with a population of 8.3 million. The city was established in 1624. New York is known for Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the NYC Subway.
New York City sits on one of the world's largest natural harbors, which shaped its rise as America's commercial gateway.
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. The city dates back to 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 New York metropolitan area covers 17,405 km², which is 2.6x larger than greater Rio de Janeiro at 6,744 km². The New York metro area is also more populous, with 20.1 million people compared to 13.5 million.
New York has a population density of 10,651 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. New York is noticeably denser, packing 1.9 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — New York in North America versus Rio de Janeiro in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
New York has a humid subtropical climate while Rio de Janeiro experiences tropical savanna conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Rio de Janeiro stays around 21°C while New York drops to 1°C. When it's noon in Rio de Janeiro, it's 10:00 AM in New York — a 2-hour time difference.
Density Gap
New York is 1.9x more densely populated
New York covers 783 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hamburg (755 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Kyoto (828 km²), Singapore (733 km²), or Santiago (838 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 New York to Rio de Janeiro is 7,759 km (4,821 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 38m.
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