Tehran
730 km²
Washington D.C.
177 km²
Iran
USA
Area Comparison
Tehran is 4.1x larger than Washington D.C.
Population Comparison
Tehran has 13.2x more people than Washington D.C.
Yes — Tehran is 4.1x larger than Washington D.C. by area. Tehran spans 730 km² (282 mi²) while Washington D.C. covers 177 km² (68 mi²) — a difference of 553 km². You could fit Washington D.C. inside Tehran approximately 4 times.
To put Tehran's size in perspective, its area of 730 km² is roughly the same size as New York City. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. at 177 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C..
Tehran's footprint is roughly about 102,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Washington D.C., by comparison, equals about 25,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Monaco, or 52 times the area of Central Park.
Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is also the capital of Tehran province and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District. With a population of around 9 million in the city, and 16.8 million in the metropolitan area, Tehran is the most populous city in Iran and West Asia, the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo, and the 24th-most-populous metropolitan area in the world.
Tehran covers 730 km² with a population of 9.1 million. The city was established in 1524. Tehran is known for Azadi Tower, Milad Tower, Golestan Palace, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Tehran Metro.
Tehran's metropolitan area holds 16.8 million people, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo.
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. The city dates back to 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 6.4x larger than greater Tehran at 2,235 km². The Tehran metro area is also more populous, with 16.0 million people compared to 6.3 million.
Tehran has a population density of 12,507 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Washington D.C., with 3,898 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Tehran is dramatically more crowded, with 3.2x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Tehran in Asia versus Washington D.C. in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Tehran has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate while Washington D.C. experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Tehran, it's 3.5:00 AM in Washington D.C. — a 8.5-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Washington D.C. fits inside Tehran ~4 times
Density Gap
Tehran is 3.2x more densely populated
Time Difference
8.5 hours apart
History
Tehran is ~266 years older
Tehran covers 730 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Hamburg (755 km²), Nairobi (696 km²), or New York (783 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 Tehran to Washington D.C. is 10,176 km (6,323 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 28m.
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