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Brazil
China
Area Comparison
Rio de Janeiro is 1.6x smaller than Shenzhen
Population Comparison
Rio de Janeiro has 2.6x fewer people than Shenzhen
Yes — Shenzhen is 1.6x larger than Rio de Janeiro by area. Shenzhen spans 1,997 km² (771 mi²) while Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km² (471 mi²) — a difference of 776 km².
To put Rio de Janeiro's size in perspective, its area of 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London. Meanwhile, Shenzhen at 1,997 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
Brazil's iconic coastal city known for Carnival. Known as "The Marvelous City", 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, Copacabana Beach, Carnival, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the MetrôRio.
Rio's Christ the Redeemer statue is struck by lightning an average of 6 times per year
China's tech capital and a major innovation hub. Often called "China's Silicon Valley", Shenzhen has an area of 1,997 km² and is home to 17.6 million people. The city dates back to 1979. Visitors come for Tech industry (Huawei, Tencent, DJI), Shenzhen Bay, Window of the World theme park, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shenzhen Metro.
Shenzhen grew from a fishing village of 30,000 people to a megacity of 17 million in just 40 years
Looking beyond city limits, the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area covers 6,744 km², which is 3.4x larger than greater Shenzhen at 1,997 km². The Shenzhen metro area is also more populous, with 17.6 million people compared to 13.5 million.
Rio de Janeiro has a population density of 5,528 people per km² — a densely populated city. Shenzhen, with 8,793 people per km², is a densely populated city. Shenzhen is noticeably denser, packing 1.6 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Rio de Janeiro in South America versus Shenzhen in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Rio de Janeiro has a tropical savanna climate while Shenzhen experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Shenzhen, it's 1:00 AM in Rio de Janeiro — a 11-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Shenzhen is 1.6x more densely populated
Time Difference
11 hours apart
History
Rio de Janeiro is ~414 years older
The straight-line distance from Rio de Janeiro to Shenzhen is 17,682 km (10,987 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~21h 18m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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