---
title: "African elephant vs blue whale — size, weight and speed compar"
description: "Blue whale is 22× African elephant on weight. Compared on 4 measured properties, with the full range and a source for each."
url: https://atoneplace.net/vs/african-elephant-vs-blue-whale/
site: "At One Place"
---

# African elephant vs Blue whale

**African elephant vs blue whale: Blue whale is larger on weight**

Blue whale is 22× African elephant on weight.

An African elephant and a blue whale can be compared on 4 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

## Side by side

*Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.*

|  | African elephant | Blue whale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weight | 2,200–10,400 kg | 50–190 t |
| Length | 5.5–7.5 m | 21–33.6 m |
| Top speed | 40 km/h | 20–37 km/h |
| Typical lifespan | 50–70 yr | 70–90 yr |

## What the numbers say

- Blue whale is 22× African elephant on weight.
- Blue whale is 3.8× African elephant on length.
- African elephant is somewhat greater than blue whale on top speed — about 1.1×.
- Blue whale is somewhat greater than African elephant on typical lifespan — about 1.3×.

*Weight compared.*

- Blue whale: 50–190 t
- African elephant: 2,200–10,400 kg

## African elephant

The largest living land animal, distinguished from the Asian elephant by larger ears and a dipped back.

## Blue whale

The largest animal known to have lived, heavier than any dinosaur and audible to other whales hundreds of kilometres away.

> This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

## Common questions

### Which is bigger, African elephant or blue whale?

Blue whale is 22× African elephant on weight. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

### How do African elephants and blue whales compare on length?

African elephant: 5.5–7.5 m. Blue whale: 21–33.6 m. Blue whale is 3.8× African elephant on length.

### How do African elephants and blue whales compare on top speed?

African elephant: 40 km/h. Blue whale: 20–37 km/h. African elephant is somewhat greater than blue whale on top speed — about 1.1×.

## Related pages

- [African elephant vs Asian elephant](https://atoneplace.net/vs/african-elephant-vs-asian-elephant/)
- [African elephant vs orca](https://atoneplace.net/vs/african-elephant-vs-orca/)
- [African elephant vs white rhinoceros](https://atoneplace.net/vs/african-elephant-vs-white-rhinoceros/)
- [Blue whale vs fin whale](https://atoneplace.net/vs/blue-whale-vs-fin-whale/)
- [African elephant vs hippopotamus](https://atoneplace.net/vs/african-elephant-vs-hippopotamus/)
- [African elephant vs giraffe](https://atoneplace.net/vs/african-elephant-vs-giraffe/)
- [Blue whale vs sperm whale](https://atoneplace.net/vs/blue-whale-vs-sperm-whale/)
- [Blue whale vs humpback whale](https://atoneplace.net/vs/blue-whale-vs-humpback-whale/)

## Sources

- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — NOAA (https://www.noaa.gov/) [Public domain (US Government)]