City Map Compare/Sydney vs Vancouver
vs
5 km
|

Sydney

12,368 km²

Vancouver

115 km²

Sydney vs Vancouver - City Size Comparison

Sydney vs Vancouver - City Size Comparison

Sydney

Australia

Area12,368 km²
Population5.31M
Density429 /km²
Elevation58 m
Metro Pop.5.3M
Founded1788
Climatehumid subtropical
Vancouver

Canada

Area115 km²
Population0.66M
Density5,739 /km²
Elevation2 m
Founded1886
ClimateMarine west coast climate

Area Comparison

Sydney is 107.5x larger than Vancouver

Population Comparison

Sydney has 8.0x more people than Vancouver

Is Sydney Bigger Than Vancouver?

In terms of area, Sydney is 107.5x the size of Vancouver. Sydney spans 12,368 km² (4,775 mi²) while Vancouver covers 115 km² (44 mi²) — a difference of 12,253 km². You could fit Vancouver inside Sydney approximately 107 times.

To put Sydney's size in perspective, its area of 12,368 km² is about 2.0x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Vancouver at 115 km² is roughly the same size as San Francisco.

Sydney's footprint is roughly about 1,700,000 American football fields, 120 times the area of Paris, or 100 times the area of San Francisco — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. For Vancouver, that's about 16,000 American football fields, 57 times the area of Monaco, or 34 times the area of Central Park.

About Sydney

Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and is the most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Hawkesbury River in the north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west.

Known as "Sydneysiders", Sydney covers 12,368 km² with a population of 5.3 million. The city was established in 1788. Sydney is known for Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Sydney Trains.

Sydney stretches roughly 80 km from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west.

About Vancouver

Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The Metro Vancouver area had a population of 2.6 million in 2021, making it the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada. Greater Vancouver, along with the Fraser Valley, comprises the Lower Mainland with a regional population of over 3 million.

Also known as "Hollywood North", Vancouver has an area of 115 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. It was established in 1886. Visitors come for Stanley Park, Granville Island, Capilano Suspension Bridge, and much more.

Vancouver grew from 631,486 residents in 2016 to 662,248 by the 2021 census, leading all of British Columbia.

Population Density

Sydney has a population density of 429 people per km² — a low-density, sprawling urban area. Vancouver, with 5,739 people per km², is a densely populated city. Vancouver is dramatically more crowded, with 13.4x the population density.

Climate & Time Zone

Sydney has a humid subtropical climate while Vancouver experiences Marine west coast climate conditions.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Vancouver fits inside Sydney ~107 times

Density Gap

Vancouver is 13.4x more densely populated

Cities Similar in Size to Sydney

Sydney covers 12,368 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Chengdu (14,378 km²), Xi'an (10,097 km²), Melbourne (9,993 km²), Brisbane (15,826 km²), or Beijing (16,411 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Vancouver

Vancouver covers 115 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Francisco (121 km²), Paris (105 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), or Miami (143 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sydney actually bigger than Vancouver?
Sydney is 107.5 times larger than Vancouver by area. Sydney covers 12,368 km² while Vancouver spans 115 km², a difference of 12,253 km².
How many times does Vancouver fit inside Sydney?
Vancouver (115 km²) fits inside Sydney (12,368 km²) approximately 107 times. That means Sydney is 107.5x the area of Vancouver.
What is the population difference between Sydney and Vancouver?
Sydney has approximately 5.3 million people, while Vancouver has about 0.7 million. Sydney has 4.6 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Sydney or Vancouver?
Vancouver is more densely populated with 5,739 people per km², compared to 429 people per km².
Which city is older, Sydney or Vancouver?
Sydney is older, founded around 1788, while Vancouver was established around 1886 — a difference of about 98 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Sydney and Vancouver

The straight-line distance from Sydney to Vancouver is 12,501 km (7,768 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~15h 12m.

Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.