Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
1,221 km²
177 km²
Brazil
USA
Area Comparison
Rio de Janeiro is 6.9x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
Rio de Janeiro has 9.8x more people than Washington D.C.
Yes — Rio de Janeiro is 6.9x larger than Washington D.C. by area. Rio de Janeiro spans 1,221 km² (471 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 1,044 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside Rio de Janeiro approximately 6 times.
To put Rio de Janeiro's size in perspective, its area of 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
Picture Rio de Janeiro another way: its area is large enough to fit about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris. Washington D.C., by comparison, equals about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 times the area of Central Park.
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.
Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia and commonly known as simply Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River across from Virginia and shares land borders with Maryland to its north and east. It was named after George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States.
Often called "D.C.", Washington D.C. has an area of 177 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. It was established in 1790. Visitors come for White House, U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Washington Metro.
Washington D.C. sits on the Potomac River across from Virginia and is bordered by Maryland to its north and east
Looking beyond city limits, the Washington D.C. metropolitan area covers 14,412 km², which is 2.1x larger than greater Rio de Janeiro at 6,744 km². The Rio de Janeiro metro area is also more populous, with 13.5 million people compared to 6.3 million.
Rio de Janeiro has a population density of 5,528 people per km² — a densely populated city. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Rio de Janeiro is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Rio de Janeiro in South America versus Washington D.C. in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Rio de Janeiro has a tropical savanna climate while Washington D.C. experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Rio de Janeiro stays around 21°C while Washington D.C. drops to 2°C. When it's noon in Rio de Janeiro, it's 10:00 AM in Washington D.C. — a 2-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside Rio de Janeiro ~6 times
Density Gap
Rio de Janeiro is 1.4x more densely populated
History
Rio de Janeiro is ~225 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).
Washington D.C. covers 177 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Stockholm (188 km²), Brussels (161 km²), Buenos Aires (203 km²), Minneapolis (149 km²), or Helsinki (214 km²).
The straight-line distance from Rio de Janeiro to Washington D.C. is 7,724 km (4,800 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 35m.
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