São Paulo
1,521 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
Brazil
USA
Area Comparison
São Paulo is 8.6x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
São Paulo has 17.9x more people than Washington D.C.
Yes — São Paulo is 8.6x larger than Washington D.C. by area. São Paulo spans 1,521 km² (587 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 1,344 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside São Paulo approximately 8 times.
To put São Paulo's size in perspective, its area of 1,521 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
São Paulo's footprint is roughly about 213,000 American football fields, 26 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Washington D.C. works out to about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 times the area of Central Park.
São Paulo is the capital city of the state of the same name, as well as the most populous city in Brazil, South America, the Americas, and in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. The city exerts international influence in commerce, finance, culture, gastronomy, arts, fashion, technology, entertainment and media, having been listed by UNESCO's Creative Cities Network as a "City of Film" and the title of "World Capital of Gastronomy", and by the Globalization and World Cities Research…
Known as "Sampa", São Paulo covers 1,521 km² with a population of 12.3 million. The city was established in 1554. São Paulo is known for Avenida Paulista, Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo Museum of Art, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the São Paulo Metro.
São Paulo is the most populous city in Brazil, the Americas, and both the Western and Southern Hemispheres.
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.
Nicknamed "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 1.8x larger than greater São Paulo at 7,947 km². The São Paulo metro area is also more populous, with 22.0 million people compared to 6.3 million.
São Paulo has a population density of 8,107 people per km² — a densely populated city. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. São Paulo is noticeably denser, packing 2.1 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — São Paulo 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.
Both cities share a humid subtropical climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each. When it's noon in São Paulo, it's 10:00 AM in Washington D.C. — a 2-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside São Paulo ~8 times
Density Gap
São Paulo is 2.1x more densely populated
History
São Paulo is ~236 years older
São Paulo covers 1,521 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Mexico City (1,485 km²), Delhi (1,484 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bogotá (1,578 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 São Paulo to Washington D.C. is 7,632 km (4,742 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 29m.
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