City Map Compare/Paris vs Sydney
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Paris

105 km²

Sydney

12,368 km²

Paris vs Sydney - City Size Comparison

Paris vs Sydney - City Size Comparison

Paris

France

Area105 km²
Population2.16M
Density20,571 /km²
Elevation35 m
Metro Pop.12.3M
Founded250 BC
Climateoceanic
Sydney

Australia

Area12,368 km²
Population5.31M
Density429 /km²
Elevation58 m
Metro Pop.5.3M
Founded1788
Climatehumid subtropical

Area Comparison

Paris is 117.8x smaller than Sydney

Population Comparison

Paris has 2.5x fewer people than Sydney

Is Paris Bigger Than Sydney?

In terms of area, Sydney is 117.8x the size of Paris. Sydney spans 12,368 km² (4,775 mi²) while Paris covers 105 km² (41 mi²) — a difference of 12,263 km². You could fit Paris inside Sydney approximately 117 times.

To put Paris's size in perspective, its area of 105 km² is about 1.2x smaller than San Francisco. Meanwhile, Sydney at 12,368 km² is about 2.0x the size of Shanghai.

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. Sydney works out to about 1,700,000 American football fields, 120 times the area of Paris, or 100 times the area of San Francisco.

About 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.

About Sydney

Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and is the most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Hawkesbury River in the north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west.

Nicknamed "Sydneysiders", Sydney has an area of 12,368 km² and is home to 5.3 million people. It was established in 1788. Visitors come for Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Sydney Trains.

Sydney stretches roughly 80 km from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west.

Metropolitan Area Comparison

Looking beyond city limits, the Paris metropolitan area covers 17,174 km², which is 1.4x larger than greater Sydney at 12,368 km². The Paris metro area is also more populous, with 12.3 million people compared to 5.3 million.

Population Density

Paris has a population density of 20,571 people per km² — one of the most densely packed urban areas on Earth. Sydney, with 429 people per km², is a low-density, sprawling urban area. Paris is dramatically more crowded, with 48.0x the population density.

This comparison spans continents — Paris in Europe versus Sydney in Oceania. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.

Climate & Time Zone

Paris has a oceanic climate while Sydney experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Sydney, it's 3:00 AM in Paris — a 9-hour time difference.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Paris fits inside Sydney ~117 times

Density Gap

Paris is 48.0x more densely populated

Time Difference

9 hours apart

History

Paris is ~2,038 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Paris

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Sydney

Sydney covers 12,368 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Chengdu (14,378 km²), Xi'an (10,097 km²), Melbourne (9,993 km²), Brisbane (15,826 km²), or Beijing (16,411 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paris bigger than Sydney?
Sydney is 117.8 times larger than Paris by area. Sydney covers 12,368 km² while Paris spans 105 km², a difference of 12,263 km².
How many times does Paris fit inside Sydney?
Paris (105 km²) fits inside Sydney (12,368 km²) approximately 117 times. That means Sydney is 117.8x the area of Paris.
What is the population difference between Paris and Sydney?
Sydney has approximately 5.3 million people, while Paris has about 2.2 million. Sydney has 3.1 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Paris or Sydney?
Paris is more densely populated with 20,571 people per km², compared to 429 people per km².
What is the time difference between Paris and Sydney?
Paris is in the UTC+1 timezone while Sydney is UTC+10. There is a 9-hour time difference between the two cities.
Which city is older, Paris or Sydney?
Paris is older, founded around -250, while Sydney was established around 1788 — a difference of about 2038 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Paris and Sydney

The straight-line distance from Paris to Sydney is 16,960 km (10,539 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~20h 27m.

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