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USA
China
Area Comparison
San Francisco is 52.4x smaller than Shanghai
Population Comparison
San Francisco has 28.6x fewer people than Shanghai
Shanghai is significantly larger, covering 52.4 times the area of San Francisco. Shanghai spans 6,341 km² (2,448 mi²) while San Francisco covers 121 km² (47 mi²) — a difference of 6,220 km². You could fit San Francisco inside Shanghai approximately 52 times.
To put San Francisco's size in perspective, its area of 121 km² is about 1.2x the size of Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, Shanghai at 6,341 km² is about 1.5x the size of Los Angeles metro.
A cultural and financial center in Northern California. Known as "SF", San Francisco covers 121 km² with a population of 0.9 million. The city was established in 1776. San Francisco is known for Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Cable cars, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the BART & Muni.
San Francisco's 121 km² makes it one of the smallest major US cities by area
China's largest city and a global financial hub. Nicknamed "The Pearl of the Orient", Shanghai has an area of 6,341 km² and is home to 24.9 million people. Its history stretches back to 1291. Visitors come for The Bund waterfront, Pudong skyline, Yuyuan Garden, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shanghai Metro.
Shanghai's Maglev train reaches 431 km/h, the fastest commercial train in the world
Looking beyond city limits, the San Francisco metropolitan area covers 6,984 km², which is 1.1x larger than greater Shanghai at 6,341 km². The Shanghai metro area is also more populous, with 28.5 million people compared to 4.7 million.
San Francisco has a population density of 7,190 people per km² — a densely populated city. Shanghai, with 3,922 people per km², is a moderately dense city. San Francisco is noticeably denser, packing 1.8 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — San Francisco in North America versus Shanghai in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
San Francisco has a Mediterranean climate while Shanghai experiences humid subtropical conditions. Summers are notably different: Shanghai averages 28°C compared to 17°C in San Francisco. When it's noon in Shanghai, it's midnight in San Francisco — a 16-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
San Francisco fits inside Shanghai ~52 times
Density Gap
San Francisco is 1.8x more densely populated
Time Difference
16 hours apart
History
Shanghai is ~485 years older
The straight-line distance from San Francisco to Shanghai is 9,879 km (6,139 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 7m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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