Paris
105 km²
Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
France
Brazil
Area Comparison
Paris is 11.6x smaller than Rio de Janeiro
Population Comparison
Paris has 3.1x fewer people than Rio de Janeiro
Yes — Rio de Janeiro is 11.6x larger than Paris by area. Rio de Janeiro spans 1,221 km² (471 mi²) while Paris covers 105 km² (41 mi²) — a difference of 1,116 km². You could fit Paris inside Rio de Janeiro approximately 11 times.
To put Paris's size in perspective, its area of 105 km² is about 1.2x smaller than San Francisco. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London.
Picture Paris another way: its area is large enough to fit about 15,000 American football fields, 52 times the area of Monaco, or 31 times the area of Central Park. Rio de Janeiro works out to about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.
Paris is the capital and largest city of France, with an estimated city population of 2.04 million in an area of 105.4 km2 (40.7 sq mi), and a metropolitan population of 13.2 million as of January 2026. Located on the river Seine in the centre of the Île-de-France region, it is the largest metropolitan area and fourth-most populous city in the European Union (EU).
Known as "City of Light", Paris covers 105 km² with a population of 2.2 million. The city was founded around 250 BC. Paris is known for Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Paris Métro.
Paris packs 2.04 million people into just 105 km2, giving it one of the highest urban densities in Europe.
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 Paris metropolitan area covers 17,174 km², which is 2.5x larger than greater Rio de Janeiro at 6,744 km². The Rio de Janeiro metro area is also more populous, with 13.5 million people compared to 12.3 million.
Paris has a population density of 20,571 people per km² — one of the most densely packed urban areas on Earth. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. Paris is dramatically more crowded, with 3.7x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Paris in Europe versus Rio de Janeiro in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Paris has a oceanic climate while Rio de Janeiro experiences tropical savanna conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Rio de Janeiro stays around 21°C while Paris drops to 4°C. When it's noon in Paris, it's 8:00 AM in Rio de Janeiro — a 4-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Paris fits inside Rio de Janeiro ~11 times
Density Gap
Paris is 3.7x more densely populated
Time Difference
4 hours apart
History
Paris is ~1,815 years older
Paris covers 105 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Barcelona (101 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), Vancouver (115 km²), San Francisco (121 km²), or Copenhagen (91 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 Paris to Rio de Janeiro is 9,167 km (5,696 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 17m.
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