Phoenix
1,341 km²
Zurich
88 km²
United States
Switzerland
Area Comparison
Phoenix is 15.2x larger than Zurich
Population Comparison
Phoenix has 3.7x more people than Zurich
Yes — Phoenix is 15.2x larger than Zurich by area. Phoenix spans 1,341 km² (518 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 1,253 km². You could fit Zurich inside Phoenix approximately 15 times.
To put Phoenix's size in perspective, its area of 1,341 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London. Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).
In more relatable units, Phoenix's 1,341 km² is about 188,000 American football fields, 23 times the area of Manhattan, or 13 times the area of Paris. For Zurich, that's about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 times the area of Monaco.
Phoenix is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, Phoenix is the fifth-most populous city in the United States and the most populous state capital. The Phoenix metropolitan area, with an estimated 5.19 million residents, is the tenth-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. and the most populous in the Mountain states and Southwest.
Known as "Valley of the Sun", Phoenix covers 1,341 km² with a population of 1.6 million. The city was established in 1868. Phoenix is known for Camelback Mountain, Desert Botanical Garden, Heard Museum, among other attractions.
Phoenix is the most populous U.S. state capital and the fifth-largest city in the country with 1.6 million residents.
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic.
Zurich has an area of 88 km² and is home to 0.4 million people. The city dates back to 15 BC. Visitors come for Lake Zurich, Bahnhofstrasse, Grossmünster, and much more. Getting around is easy with the ZVV (S-Bahn & Tram).
Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and sits at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich in north-central Switzerland.
Phoenix has a population density of 1,201 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Zurich, with 4,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Zurich is dramatically more crowded, with 4.1x the population density.
Size Ratio
Zurich fits inside Phoenix ~15 times
Density Gap
Zurich is 4.1x more densely populated
History
Zurich is ~1,883 years older
Phoenix covers 1,341 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Los Angeles (1,302 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), Delhi (1,484 km²), or Mexico City (1,485 km²).
Zurich covers 88 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Copenhagen (91 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).
The straight-line distance from Phoenix to Zurich is 9,255 km (5,751 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 23m.
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