City Map Compare/Portland vs Zurich
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Portland

376 km²

Zurich

88 km²

Portland vs Zurich - City Size Comparison

Portland vs Zurich - City Size Comparison

Portland

United States

Area376 km²
Population0.65M
Density1,729 /km²
Elevation152 m
Zurich

Switzerland

Area88 km²
Population0.43M
Density4,886 /km²
Elevation408 m
Metro Pop.1.4M
Founded15 BC
Climateoceanic

Area Comparison

Portland is 4.3x larger than Zurich

Population Comparison

Portland has 1.5x more people than Zurich

Is Portland Bigger Than Zurich?

In terms of area, Portland is 4.3x the size of Zurich. Portland spans 376 km² (145 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 288 km². You could fit Zurich inside Portland approximately 4 times.

To put Portland's size in perspective, its area of 376 km² is about 1.6x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).

Picture Portland another way: its area is large enough to fit about 53,000 American football fields, 190 times the area of Monaco, or 110 times the area of Central Park. Zurich works out to about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 times the area of Monaco.

About Portland

Portland is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located in the Pacific Northwest at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, it is the 28th-most populous city in the United States, sixth-most populous on the West Coast, and fourth-most populous in the Pacific Northwest, with a population of 652,503 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolitan area, with over 2.54 million residents, is the 26th-largest metropolitan area in the nation.

Known as "Rose City", Portland covers 376 km² with a population of 0.7 million. Portland is known for Powell's City of Books, Voodoo Doughnut, Washington Park, among other attractions.

Portland sits at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the Pacific Northwest.

About Zurich

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. It was founded around 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.

Population Density

Portland has a population density of 1,729 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Zurich, with 4,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Zurich is noticeably denser, packing 2.8 times more people per square kilometer.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Zurich fits inside Portland ~4 times

Density Gap

Zurich is 2.8x more densely populated

Cities Similar in Size to Portland

Portland covers 376 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Philadelphia (370 km²), Seattle (369 km²), Dhaka (368 km²), Denver (401 km²), or Atlanta (348 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Zurich

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).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Portland actually bigger than Zurich?
Portland is 4.3 times larger than Zurich by area. Portland covers 376 km² while Zurich spans 88 km², a difference of 288 km².
How many times does Zurich fit inside Portland?
Zurich (88 km²) fits inside Portland (376 km²) approximately 4 times. That means Portland is 4.3x the area of Zurich.
What is the population difference between Portland and Zurich?
Portland has approximately 0.7 million people, while Zurich has about 0.4 million. Portland has 0.2 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Portland or Zurich?
Zurich is more densely populated with 4,886 people per km², compared to 1,729 people per km².
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 Portland and Zurich

The straight-line distance from Portland to Zurich is 8,644 km (5,371 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 40m.

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