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True Size of Countries 2023

Do you know how big the United States actually is? What about Russia? Or Greenland? Even if you think you know, you might not—because the map you’re using is probably incorrect. The world map most of us are most familiar with and use most often is called the Mercator Projection. Created in 1569 by cartographer Gerardus Mercator, this map was revolutionary in its time. However, like all maps, it also had to overcome a very fundamental problem: maps are flat, but the Earth is a sphere.

Mapmakers have devised several different map-rendering techniques to try to account for this difference in basic geometries. The problem is, none of them are quite perfect. In the case of the Mercator projection, for example, land masses near the equator are the correct shape and size—but as you move closer to the north or south pole, land masses start to stretch and warp unnaturally.

Greenland is the most obvious example. On the Mercator projection, it’s shown to be the same size as Africa. In reality, Africa is 14 times larger than Greenland. Neil Kaye, a climate data scientist at the United Kingdom’s national weather service, the Met Office, created an animation to depict the true size of each country in comparison to the Mercator projections. Thanks to its relatively temperate latitude, the world’s sixth-largest country by land area, Australia, stays relatively the same size throughout the animation. The same cannot be said of Russia, Canada, China, or the United States, which all shrink considerably when moved closer to the equator. The animation enables viewers to discover interesting facts such as:

Kaye also has an illustration showing the true size of the countries overlaid with Mercator’s projections of each of them. As seen in this map, Mercator had Antarctica taking up almost as much land mass as the rest of the continents. Additionally, Canada and Russia appear to occupy about 25% of the Earth’s surface but only take up about 5% in reality. If you want to see the actual size of the world’s countries, this animated map enables you to search, drag, and drop countries to see their true size and compare them to each other. For a full list of countries in the world and their rank by total area, see below.

Notes:
- As defined by the CIA World Factbook, "land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of the surfaces of all inland water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, as delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines." Total area is the sum of land area and water area together.
- Significant complication exists regarding the relative areas of the United States and China. Several major sources include coastal and territorial waterways when computing the area of the United States, but exclude coastal and territorial waterways when computing the area of China, as said data is unknown. China has a larger land area than the United States, but it is unclear which country would have a larger area if coastal and territorial waterways could be included.

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Country
Area (km²)
Area (mi²)
Land Area (km²)
Land Area (mi²)
Total Water (km²)
Total Water (mi²)
% of Territory Water
Russia17.1M6.6M16.4M6.3M719,836277,9304.2%
Canada10M3.9M9M3.5M891,163344,0808.9%
China9.7M3.7M9.4M3.6M270,550104,4602.8%
United States9.4M3.6M9.1M3.5M685,924264,8377%
Brazil8.5M3.3M8.4M3.2M55,35221,3720.6%
Australia7.7M3M7.7M3M58,45922,5710.8%
India3.3M1.3M3M1.1M314,073121,2649.6%
Argentina2.8M1.1M2.7M1.1M43,71016,8801.6%
Kazakhstan2.7M1.1M2.7M1M25,2009,7300.9%
Algeria2.4M919.4K2.4M919.4K
DR Congo2.3M905.1K2.3M875.1K77,81030,0403.3%
Greenland2.2M836.1K410.4K158.4K
Saudi Arabia2.1M829.8K2.1M829.8K
Mexico2M758.2K1.9M750.4K20,4307,8881%
Indonesia1.9M735.2K1.9M724.7K93,00036,0004.9%
Sudan1.9M728K1.9M721K129,81350,1217%
Libya1.8M679.2K1.8M679.2K
Iran1.6M636.2K1.6M626.3K116,60045,0207.1%
Mongolia1.6M603.7K1.6M601.2K10,5604,0770.7%
Peru1.3M496.1K1.3M494.1K5,2202,0200.4%
Chad1.3M495.6K1.3M486.1K24,8009,5801.9%
Niger1.3M489.1K1.3M488.9K300100
Angola1.2M481.2K1.2M481.2K
Mali1.2M478.7K1.2M471K20,0027,7231.6%
South Africa1.2M471.3K1.2M468.3K4,6201,7800.4%
Colombia1.1M440.7K1.1M428.3K100,21038,6918.8%
Ethiopia1.1M426.3K1.1M435.6K7,6702,9600.7%
Bolivia1.1M424.1K1.1M418.2K15,2805,9001.4%
Mauritania1M397.9K1M397.9K4,4801,7300.4%
Egypt1M386.9K1M384.2K6,0002,0000.6%
Tanzania945.1K364.8K885.8K341.9K61,50023,7006.5%
Nigeria923.8K356.6K910.8K351.6K13,0005,0001.4%
Venezuela916.4K353.7K882K340.5K30,00010,0003.3%
Pakistan881.9K340.4K770.9K297.6K25,2239,7392.9%
Namibia825.6K318.7K823.3K317.8K2,4259360.3%
Mozambique801.6K309.4K786.4K303.5K13,0005,0001.6%
Turkey783.6K302.5K783.6K302.5K13,9305,3781.8%
Chile756.1K291.9K743.5K287K12,2904,7451.6%
Zambia752.6K290.5K743.4K286.9K9,2203,5601.2%
Myanmar676.6K261.2K652.7K251.9K23,0708,9073.4%
Afghanistan652.2K251.8K652.2K251.8K
Somalia637.7K246.1K627.3K242.2K10,3203,9851.6%
Central African Republic623K240.5K623K240.5K
South Sudan619.7K239.2K631.9K243.9K
Ukraine603.5K233K579.4K223.6K24,2509,3634%
Madagascar587K226.6K581.8K224.6K5,5012,1240.9%
Botswana582K224.7K566.7K218.8K15,0005,8002.6%
Kenya580.4K224K569.1K219.7K11,2274,3351.9%
France551.7K213K547.6K211.4K3,3741,3030.5%
Yemen528K203.8K528K203.8K
Thailand513.1K198.1K510.9K197.2K2,2308610.4%
Spain506K195.3K499.6K192.8K6,3902,4701.3%
Turkmenistan488.1K188.4K469.9K181.4K18,1707,0153.7%
Cameroon475.4K183.5K472.7K182.5K2,7301,0500.6%
Papua New Guinea462.8K178.7K452.9K174.8K9,9803,8502.2%
Sweden450.3K173.8K407.3K157.2K40,14215,4999%
Uzbekistan447.4K172.7K440.6K170.1K22,0008,5004.9%
Morocco446.6K172.4K446.3K172.3K250970.1%
Iraq438.3K169.2K434.1K167.6K9503700.2%
Paraguay406.8K157K397.3K153.4K9,4503,6502.3%
Zimbabwe390.8K150.8K386.9K149.3K3,9101,5101%
Japan377.9K145.9K364.5K140.7K13,4305,1853.6%
Germany357.1K137.8K349.4K134.9K8,3503,2202.3%
Philippines342.4K132.1K298.2K115.1K1,8307070.6%
Republic of the Congo342K132K341.5K131.8K5002000.1%
Finland338.4K130.6K303.9K117.3K34,33013,26010.1%
Vietnam331.2K127.8K313.4K121K21,1408,1626.4%
Malaysia330.8K127.7K328.6K126.8K1,1904590.4%
Norway323.8K125K364.3K140.6K19,5207,5375.1%
Ivory Coast322.5K124.5K318K122.7K4,4601,7201.4%
Poland312.7K120.7K306.1K118.2K7913050.3%
Oman309.5K119.5K309.5K119.5K
Italy301.3K116.3K295.7K114.1K7,2002,8002.4%
Ecuador276.8K106.9K248.4K95.9K6,7202,6002.4%
Burkina Faso273K105.4K273.6K105.6K6202400.2%
New Zealand270.5K104.4K263.3K101.6K4,3951,6971.6%
Gabon267.7K103.3K257.7K99.5K10,0013,8613.7%
Western Sahara266K102.7K266K102.7K
Guinea245.9K94.9K245.7K94.8K140540.1%
United Kingdom242.9K93.8K241.9K93.4K1,6806490.7%
Uganda241.6K93.2K200.5K77.4K43,93816,96518.2%
Ghana238.5K92.1K227.5K87.8K11,0004,2004.6%
Romania238.4K92K230.1K88.8K7,1002,7003%
Laos236.8K91.4K230.8K89.1K6,0002,0002.5%
Guyana215K83K196.8K76K18,1206,9968.4%
Belarus207.6K80.1K203K78.4K4,7001,8002.3%
Kyrgyzstan200K77.2K191.8K74K8,1503,1504.1%
Senegal196.7K75.9K192.5K74.3K4,1921,6192.1%
Syria185.2K71.5K183.6K70.9K1,5505980.8%
Cambodia181K69.9K176.5K68.1K4,5201,7502.5%
Uruguay181K69.9K175K67.6K1,2004600.7%
Suriname163.8K63.2K156K60.2K7,8203,0204.8%
Tunisia163.6K63.2K155.4K60K8,2503,1905%
Bangladesh147.6K57K130.2K50.2K14,2525,5039.6%
Nepal147.2K56.8K143.3K55.3K3,8301,4802.6%
Tajikistan143.1K55.2K138.8K53.6K2,5901,0001.8%
Greece132K50.9K128.9K49.8K1,3105061%
Nicaragua130.4K50.3K120.3K46.5K10,3804,0088%
North Korea120.5K46.5K120.4K46.5K21
Malawi118.5K45.7K94.3K36.4K24,4049,42220.6%
Eritrea117.6K45.4K121K46.7K
Benin112.6K43.5K112.8K43.5K4581770.4%
Honduras112.5K43.4K111.9K43.2K200800.2%
Liberia111.4K43K96.3K37.2K15,0495,81013.5%
Bulgaria110.9K42.8K108.6K41.9K2,3909232.2%
Cuba109.9K42.4K103.8K40.1K
Guatemala108.9K42K107.2K41.4K1,7306681.6%
Iceland103K39.8K100.8K38.9K2,7501,0602.7%
South Korea100.2K38.7K97.6K37.7K3011160.3%
Hungary93K35.9K91.3K35.2K3,4201,3203.7%
Portugal92.1K35.5K91.6K35.4K1,1074271.2%
Jordan89.3K34.5K88.8K34.3K5402100.6%
Serbia88.4K34.1K87.5K33.8K115440.1%
Azerbaijan86.6K33.4K82.6K31.9K5002000.6%
Austria83.9K32.4K82.5K31.9K1,4265511.7%
United Arab Emirates83.6K32.3K71K27.4K
Czech Republic78.9K30.4K77.2K29.8K1,7006602.2%
Panama75.4K29.1K74.2K28.6K1,0804171.4%
Sierra Leone71.7K27.7K72.2K27.9K120460.2%
Ireland70.3K27.1K68.9K26.6K1,3905372%
Georgia69.7K26.9K69.5K26.8K
Sri Lanka65.6K25.3K61.9K23.9K2,8781,1114.4%
Lithuania65.3K25.2K62.6K24.2K2,6201,0104%
Latvia64.6K24.9K62.2K24K2,3409033.6%
Togo56.8K21.9K54.4K21K2,4009304.2%
Croatia56.6K21.8K56K21.6K6202401.1%
Bosnia and Herzegovina51.2K19.8K51.2K19.8K104
Costa Rica51.1K19.7K51.1K19.7K40200.1%
Slovakia49K18.9K49K18.9K9303601.9%
Dominican Republic48.7K18.8K48.3K18.6K3501400.7%
Estonia45.2K17.5K42.8K16.5K2,8401,1006.3%
Denmark43.1K16.6K40K15.4K218
Netherlands41.9K16.2K33.7K13K7,9573,07219%
Switzerland41.3K15.9K39.5K15.3K1,2804943.1%
Bhutan38.4K14.8K38.1K14.7K
Taiwan36.2K14K36.2K14K3,7201,44010.3%
Guinea Bissau36.1K13.9K28.1K10.9K8,0053,09122.2%
Moldova33.8K13.1K32.9K12.7K9603702.8%
Belgium30.5K11.8K30.3K11.7K250970.8%
Lesotho30.4K11.7K30.4K11.7K
Armenia29.7K11.5K28.5K11K1,4015414.7%
Solomon Islands28.9K11.2K28K10.8K9103503.1%
Albania28.7K11.1K27.4K10.6K1,3505214.7%
Equatorial Guinea28.1K10.8K28.1K10.8K
Burundi27.8K10.7K25.7K9.9K2,1508307.7%
Haiti27.8K10.7K27.6K10.6K190730.7%
Rwanda26.3K10.2K24.7K9.5K1,6706456.3%
North Macedonia25.7K9.9K25.2K9.7K2801101.1%
Djibouti23.2K9K23.2K8.9K2080.1%
Belize23K8.9K22.8K8.8K160620.7%
El Salvador21K8.1K20.7K8K3201201.5%
Israel20.8K8K21.6K8.4K4401702.1%
Slovenia20.3K7.8K20.1K7.8K122470.6%
New Caledonia18.6K7.2K18.3K7.1K3001001.6%
Fiji18.3K7.1K18.3K7.1K
Kuwait17.8K6.9K17.8K6.9K
Eswatini17.4K6.7K17.2K6.6K160620.9%
Timor Leste14.9K5.7K14.9K5.7K
Bahamas13.9K5.4K10K3.9K3,8701,49027.8%
Montenegro13.8K5.3K13.4K5.2K3601402.6%
Vanuatu12.2K4.7K12.2K4.7K
Falkland Islands12.2K4.7K12.2K4.7K
Qatar11.6K4.5K11.5K4.4K
Jamaica11K4.2K10.8K4.2K160621.5%
Gambia10.7K4.1K10.1K3.9K1,29550011.5%
Lebanon10.5K4K10.2K3.9K170661.6%
Cyprus9.3K3.6K9.2K3.6K1040.1%
Puerto Rico8.9K3.4K8.9K3.4K145561.6%
Palestine6.2K2.4K6K2.3K220853.5%
Brunei5.8K2.2K5.3K2K5002008.7%
Trinidad and Tobago5.1K2K5.1K2K
French Polynesia4.2K1.6K3.5K1.3K3401308.2%
Cape Verde4K1.6K4K1.6K
Samoa2.8K1.1K2.8K1.1K1040.4%
Luxembourg2.6K1K2.6K994
Mauritius2K7872K7841040.5%
Comoros1.9K7191.9K718
Faroe Islands1.4K5381.4K527
Hong Kong1.1K4261.1K4051,64963759.9%
Sao Tome and Principe964372960371
Turks and Caicos Islands948366948366
Kiribati811313810313
Bahrain765295785303
Dominica751290750290
Tonga74728872027830104%
Singapore7102747182771041.4%
Micronesia702271700270
Saint Lucia6162386102351041.6%
Isle of Man572221570220
Guam549212540208
Andorra468181470181
Northern Mariana Islands464179460178
Palau459177460178
Seychelles452174460178
Curacao444171444171
Antigua and Barbuda442171440170
Barbados430166430166
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines389150390151
United States Virgin Islands347134347134
Grenada344133340131
Malta316122320124
Maldives300116300116
Wallis and Futuna274106274106
Cayman Islands26410224093
Saint Kitts and Nevis261101260100
Niue261101261101
Cook Islands2409324093
American Samoa1997720077
Marshall Islands1817018069
Aruba1806918069
Liechtenstein1606216062
British Virgin Islands1515815058
Jersey1164512046
Montserrat1023910239
Anguilla91359135
Guernsey78306324
San Marino61246023
Bermuda54215421
Saint Martin53205019
Sint Maarten34133413
Macau33133313
Tuvalu26103012
Nauru218208
Saint Barthelemy2182510
Tokelau125104
Gibraltar7373
Monaco2121
Vatican City< 10< 10
showing: 228 rows

Sources