The true size of Sydney vs London

Sydney is roughly 7.87× the area of London — a difference of about 10,796 km² (4,168 sq mi).

Australia
Sydney
12,368 km² (4,775 sq mi)
~5.3M people

Greater Sydney sprawls across 12,368 km² (4,775 sq mi) from the Pacific coast to the Blue Mountains.

United Kingdom
London
1,572 km² (607 sq mi)
~8.9M people

Greater London spans 1,572 km² (607 sq mi) along the River Thames in southeast England.

Why raw area is misleading on a world map

Standard web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches shapes further from the equator. That's why Sydney and London can look similar on a map even when one is many times larger. To really feel the difference, you have to overlay one city's outline directly on top of the other at true scale.

Compare Sydney and London on the map →

Quick facts

  • Sydney: 12,368 km² · 4,775 sq mi
  • London: 1,572 km² · 607 sq mi
  • Ratio: Sydney is 7.87× London
  • Absolute difference: 10,796 km²

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