City Map Compare/Rio de Janeiro vs Vancouver
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Rio de Janeiro

1,221 km²

Vancouver

115 km²

Rio de Janeiro vs Vancouver - City Size Comparison

Rio de Janeiro vs Vancouver - City Size Comparison

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

Area1,221 km²
Population6.75M
Density5,528 /km²
Elevation11 m
Metro Pop.13.5M
Founded1565
Climatetropical savanna
Vancouver

Canada

Area115 km²
Population0.66M
Density5,739 /km²
Elevation2 m
Founded1886
ClimateMarine west coast climate

Area Comparison

Rio de Janeiro is 10.6x larger than Vancouver

Population Comparison

Rio de Janeiro has 10.2x more people than Vancouver

Is Rio de Janeiro Bigger Than Vancouver?

Yes — Rio de Janeiro is 10.6x larger than Vancouver by area. Rio de Janeiro spans 1,221 km² (471 mi²) while Vancouver covers 115 km² (44 mi²) — a difference of 1,106 km². You could fit Vancouver inside Rio de Janeiro approximately 10 times.

To put Rio de Janeiro's size in perspective, its area of 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London. Meanwhile, Vancouver at 115 km² is roughly the same size as San Francisco.

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. Vancouver works out to about 16,000 American football fields, 57 times the area of Monaco, or 34 times the area of Central Park.

About Rio de Janeiro

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.

About Vancouver

Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The Metro Vancouver area had a population of 2.6 million in 2021, making it the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada. Greater Vancouver, along with the Fraser Valley, comprises the Lower Mainland with a regional population of over 3 million.

Nicknamed "Hollywood North", Vancouver has an area of 115 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. It was established in 1886. Visitors come for Stanley Park, Granville Island, Capilano Suspension Bridge, and much more.

Vancouver grew from 631,486 residents in 2016 to 662,248 by the 2021 census, leading all of British Columbia.

Population Density

Rio de Janeiro has a population density of 5,528 people per km² — a densely populated city. Vancouver, with 5,739 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Vancouver is slightly more compact.

Climate & Time Zone

Rio de Janeiro has a tropical savanna climate while Vancouver experiences Marine west coast climate conditions.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Vancouver fits inside Rio de Janeiro ~10 times

History

Rio de Janeiro is ~321 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Rio de Janeiro

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Vancouver

Vancouver covers 115 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Francisco (121 km²), Paris (105 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), or Miami (143 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Rio de Janeiro actually bigger than Vancouver?
Rio de Janeiro is 10.6 times larger than Vancouver by area. Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km² while Vancouver spans 115 km², a difference of 1,106 km².
How many times does Vancouver fit inside Rio de Janeiro?
Vancouver (115 km²) fits inside Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²) approximately 10 times. That means Rio de Janeiro is 10.6x the area of Vancouver.
What is the population difference between Rio de Janeiro and Vancouver?
Rio de Janeiro has approximately 6.8 million people, while Vancouver has about 0.7 million. Rio de Janeiro has 6.1 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Rio de Janeiro or Vancouver?
Vancouver is more densely populated with 5,739 people per km², compared to 5,528 people per km².
Which city is older, Rio de Janeiro or Vancouver?
Rio de Janeiro is older, founded around 1565, while Vancouver was established around 1886 — a difference of about 321 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 Rio de Janeiro and Vancouver

The straight-line distance from Rio de Janeiro to Vancouver is 11,225 km (6,975 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 42m.

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