Rio de Janeiro
1,221 km²
Zurich
88 km²
Brazil
Switzerland
Area Comparison
Rio de Janeiro is 13.9x larger than Zurich
Population Comparison
Rio de Janeiro has 15.7x more people than Zurich
Yes — Rio de Janeiro is 13.9x larger than Zurich by area. Rio de Janeiro spans 1,221 km² (471 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 1,133 km². You could fit Zurich inside Rio de Janeiro approximately 13 times.
To put Rio de Janeiro's size in perspective, its area of 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London. Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).
In more relatable units, Rio de Janeiro's 1,221 km² is about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris. For Zurich, that's about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 times the area of Monaco.
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.
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. The city dates back to 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.
Looking beyond city limits, the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area covers 6,744 km², which is 5.1x larger than greater Zurich at 1,334 km². The Rio de Janeiro metro area is also more populous, with 13.5 million people compared to 1.4 million.
Rio de Janeiro has a population density of 5,528 people per km² — a densely populated city. Zurich, with 4,886 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 Zurich in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Rio de Janeiro has a tropical savanna climate while Zurich experiences oceanic conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Rio de Janeiro stays around 21°C while Zurich drops to 1°C. When it's noon in Zurich, it's 8:00 AM in Rio de Janeiro — a 4-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Zurich fits inside Rio de Janeiro ~13 times
Time Difference
4 hours apart
History
Zurich is ~1,580 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).
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).
The straight-line distance from Rio de Janeiro to Zurich is 9,369 km (5,822 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 31m.
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