Seoul
605 km²
Shenzhen
1,997 km²
South Korea
China
Area Comparison
Seoul is 3.3x smaller than Shenzhen
Population Comparison
Seoul has 1.8x fewer people than Shenzhen
Yes — Shenzhen is 3.3x larger than Seoul by area. Shenzhen spans 1,997 km² (771 mi²) while Seoul covers 605 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 1,392 km². You could fit Seoul inside Shenzhen approximately 3 times.
To put Seoul's size in perspective, its area of 605 km² is about 1.3x smaller than New York City. Meanwhile, Shenzhen at 1,997 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
In more relatable units, Seoul's 605 km² is about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan. Shenzhen works out to about 280,000 American football fields, 34 times the area of Manhattan, or 19 times the area of Paris.
Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea, and the largest city in the whole of Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, behind New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Paris, and London, and hosts more than half of South Korea's population.
Seoul covers 605 km² with a population of 9.8 million. The city was founded around 18 BC. Seoul is known for Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gangnam district, Myeongdong shopping, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Seoul Metro.
Seoul Metropolitan Area emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, behind only NYC, Tokyo, LA, Paris, and London.
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.
Nicknamed "China's Silicon Valley", Shenzhen has an area of 1,997 km² and is home to 17.6 million people. It was established in 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 Seoul metropolitan area covers 11,704 km², which is 5.9x larger than greater Shenzhen at 1,997 km². The Seoul metro area is also more populous, with 25.5 million people compared to 17.6 million.
Seoul has a population density of 16,149 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Shenzhen, with 8,793 people per km², is a densely populated city. Seoul is noticeably denser, packing 1.8 times more people per square kilometer.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Seoul (South Korea) and Shenzhen (China) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Seoul has a humid continental climate while Shenzhen experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Shenzhen stays around 15°C while Seoul drops to -3°C.
Size Ratio
Seoul fits inside Shenzhen ~3 times
Density Gap
Seoul is 1.8x more densely populated
History
Seoul is ~1,997 years older
Seoul covers 605 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Chicago (606 km²), Madrid (604 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 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 Seoul to Shenzhen is 2,078 km (1,291 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 57m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.