Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
Riyadh
1,798 km²
Brazil
Saudi Arabia
Area Comparison
Rio de Janeiro is 1.5x smaller than Riyadh
Population Comparison
Rio de Janeiro has 1.0x fewer people than Riyadh
In terms of area, Riyadh is 1.5x the size of Rio de Janeiro. Riyadh spans 1,798 km² (694 mi²) while Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km² (471 mi²) — a difference of 577 km².
To put Rio de Janeiro's size in perspective, its area of 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London. Meanwhile, Riyadh at 1,798 km² is about 1.1x the size of London.
Rio de Janeiro's footprint is roughly about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Riyadh works out to about 252,000 American football fields, 30 times the area of Manhattan, or 17 times the area of Paris.
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.
Known as "Cidade Maravilhosa", Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km² with a population of 6.8 million. The city was established in 1565. Rio de Janeiro is known for Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the MetrôRio.
Rio de Janeiro is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous in the Americas.
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in the 1950s as an expansion of the 18th-century walled town, following the dismantling of its defensive fortifications.
Riyadh has an area of 1,798 km² and is home to 7.0 million people. Its history stretches back to 1746. Visitors come for Kingdom Centre Tower, Masmak Fortress, Al Faisaliah Tower, and much more.
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia, sitting on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa.
Rio de Janeiro has a population density of 5,528 people per km² — a densely populated city. Riyadh, with 3,899 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Rio de Janeiro is slightly more compact.
Density Gap
Rio de Janeiro is 1.4x more densely populated
History
Rio de Janeiro is ~181 years older
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).
Riyadh covers 1,798 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Houston (1,725 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), Shenzhen (1,997 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), or London (1,572 km²).
The straight-line distance from Rio de Janeiro to Riyadh is 11,035 km (6,857 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 29m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.