Chaniá Population 2026

Chaniá has a population of 53,910, making it the #36 biggest city in 🇬🇷 Greece, located in Crete. Roughly 0.5% of Greece's population lives here. It is about 12× smaller than Athens, the country's biggest city.

Location of Chaniá (capital Athens shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

53,910

Rank in Greece

#36

Coordinates

35.51°N, 24.03°E

~24 m elevation · Europe/Athens

Distance to capital (Athens)

276 km

171 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Crete

City	Population	Rank in Greece
Irákleion	137,154	#7
Rethymno	32,468	#57

Cities near Chaniá

Rethymno32,468 people · ~44 km away
Irákleion137,154 people · ~103 km away
Sparta16,239 people · ~225 km away
Kalamata54,100 people · ~242 km away
Voúla28,364 people · ~260 km away
Glyfáda87,305 people · ~263 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Chaniá?

Chaniá has a population of 53,910 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #36 biggest city in Greece.

What region is Chaniá in?

Chaniá is located in Crete, Greece.

Is Chaniá the capital of Greece?

No, the capital of Greece is Athens, about 276 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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