# Baghdad -- how big is it?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baghdad-how-big-is-it/163722>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 24, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baghdad-how-big-is-it/163722 "2003-03-24T05:23:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DEVA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@DEVA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DEVA)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baghdad-how-big-is-it/163722/1 "2003-03-24T05:23:19Z")

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Is there an American city that is approximately the same size as Baghdad? I’m trying to ‘picture’ it. Is it say, a D.C. or a Hell-A? NYC or St. Louis?

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**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baghdad-how-big-is-it/163722/2 "2003-03-24T06:12:03Z")

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I read somewhere that it is about the size of Chicago but has a higher population - 5,000,000. I also recall reading that only New York amongst American cities is bigger than Baghdad. [Here](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/fogofwar/dbasetargets.htm) is a map which indicates that it is about 15 miles across.

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**Author:** ![DEVA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@DEVA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DEVA)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baghdad-how-big-is-it/163722/3 "2003-03-24T06:40:37Z")

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Thanks for the reply! I appreciate it.