Rome
1,285 km²
Shenzhen
1,997 km²
Italy
China
Area Comparison
Rome is 1.6x smaller than Shenzhen
Population Comparison
Rome has 6.1x fewer people than Shenzhen
In terms of area, Shenzhen is 1.6x the size of Rome. Shenzhen spans 1,997 km² (771 mi²) while Rome covers 1,285 km² (496 mi²) — a difference of 712 km².
To put Rome's size in perspective, its area of 1,285 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London. Meanwhile, Shenzhen at 1,997 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
Rome's footprint is roughly about 180,000 American football fields, 22 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Shenzhen works out to about 280,000 American football fields, 34 times the area of Manhattan, or 19 times the area of Paris.
Rome is the capital city and most populated comune (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special comune named Roma Capitale with a population of 2.7 million in an area of 1,287.36 km2 (497.1 mi2), Rome is the third most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. The Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, with a population of 4.2 million, is the most populous metropolitan city in Italy.
Known as "The Eternal City", Rome covers 1,285 km² with a population of 2.9 million. The city was founded around 753 BC. Rome is known for Colosseum, Vatican City, Trevi Fountain, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Rome Metro.
Rome's special comune Roma Capitale spans 1,287 km2, making it the third most populous city in the EU within city limits
Shenzhen is a prefecture-level city in the province of Guangdong, China. A special economic zone, it is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of Guangdong, bordering Hong Kong to the south, Dongguan to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, and Macau to the southwest. With a population of 17.5 million in 2020, Shenzhen is the third-most-populous city by urban population in China after Shanghai and Beijing.
Also known as "China's Silicon Valley", Shenzhen has an area of 1,997 km² and is home to 17.6 million people. Its history stretches back to 1979. Visitors come for Ping An Finance Centre, Window of the World, OCT Loft, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shenzhen Metro.
Shenzhen grew from a small town into China's third-most-populous urban city, hitting 17.5 million residents by 2020
Looking beyond city limits, the Rome metropolitan area covers 5,352 km², which is 2.7x larger than greater Shenzhen at 1,997 km². The Shenzhen metro area is also more populous, with 17.6 million people compared to 4.3 million.
Rome has a population density of 2,233 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Shenzhen, with 8,793 people per km², is a densely populated city. Shenzhen is dramatically more crowded, with 3.9x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Rome in Europe versus Shenzhen in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Rome has a Mediterranean climate while Shenzhen experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Shenzhen, it's 5:00 AM in Rome — a 7-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Shenzhen is 3.9x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Rome is ~2,732 years older
Rome covers 1,285 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Los Angeles (1,302 km²), Phoenix (1,341 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), San Antonio (1,209 km²), or Lagos (1,172 km²).
Shenzhen covers 1,997 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Riyadh (1,798 km²), Houston (1,725 km²), or Johannesburg (1,644 km²).
The straight-line distance from Rome to Shenzhen is 9,252 km (5,749 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 23m.
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