Seoul
605 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
South Korea
USA
Area Comparison
Seoul is 3.4x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
Seoul has 14.2x more people than Washington D.C.
In terms of area, Seoul is 3.4x the size of Washington D.C.. Seoul spans 605 km² (234 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 428 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside Seoul 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, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
Picture Seoul another way: its area is large enough to fit about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan. 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.
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.
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.
Often called "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 1.2x larger than greater Seoul at 11,704 km². The Seoul metro area is also more populous, with 25.5 million people compared to 6.3 million.
Seoul has a population density of 16,149 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Seoul is dramatically more crowded, with 4.1x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Seoul in Asia versus Washington D.C. in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Seoul has a humid continental climate while Washington D.C. experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Seoul, it's midnight in Washington D.C. — a 14-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside Seoul ~3 times
Density Gap
Seoul is 4.1x more densely populated
Time Difference
14 hours apart
History
Seoul is ~1,808 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).
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 Seoul to Washington D.C. is 11,164 km (6,937 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 38m.
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