Galicia vs Switzerland: size comparison
Switzerland is 40% bigger than Galicia: 15,943 sq mi (41,291 km²) versus 11,422 sq mi (29,584 km²). In other words, Galicia fits into Switzerland 1.40 times. Here you can see both overlaid at their true size, with their population, density and end-to-end distance.
By the Mapsfera Team
1.40× Galicia fits into Switzerland 1.40 times
- Galicia 11,422 sq mi below, in its real place
- Switzerland 15,943 sq mi on top, centered on Galicia
Drag both across a Mercator map and watch how they change with latitude.
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on Galicia: it preserves areas, so both appear in their true proportion. Switzerland has been rotated across the globe, without changing its shape or size, until its center sits on the center of Galicia.
The figures
| Figure | Galicia | Switzerland |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 11,422 sq mi 29,584 km² · Spain’s IGN | 15,943 sq mi 41,291 km² · World Bank |
| Population | 2.7 million INE, 2025 | 9.1 million World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 238 per sq mi 92 per km² | 570 per sq mi 220 per km² |
| End to end | about 150 mi (240 km) | about 220 mi (350 km) |
| Size rank | 7th of 17 communities | 131st of 193 countries |
| Mercator enlarges it | ×1.9 centered at 43° N | ×2.1 centered at 47° N |
Which is bigger, Galicia or Switzerland?
Galicia is green, rainy and hilly, but nowhere near as mountainous as Switzerland: much of Switzerland is the Alps, with peaks over 4,000 m (13,000 ft), while Galicia’s highest point, Pena Trevinca, is under 2,200 m (7,200 ft).
The difference is 4,520 sq mi (11,707 km²), roughly the size of Qatar (4,493 sq mi).
Galicia is the 7th-largest autonomous community in Spain, and Switzerland is the 131st-largest country in the world.
Population and density
Galicia has a population of 2.7 million (Spain’s INE, population register on January 1, 2025) and Switzerland 9.1 million (World Bank, 2025).
That’s 238 per sq mi (92 per km²) in Galicia and 570 per sq mi (220 per km²) in Switzerland: Switzerland has 2.40 times as many people per square mile as Galicia.
Switzerland has more land and more people too: 3.35 times as many as Galicia.
Why they look different on a regular world map
On the Mercator projection, used by Google Maps and many world maps, everything gets bigger the farther it is from the equator. Galicia, centered at 43° N, comes out 1.9 times bigger than it really is overall; Switzerland, at 47° N, 2.1 times.
That’s why on those maps the gap looks bigger than it is: on paper Switzerland takes up 1.61 times the space of Galicia, but in reality it’s 1.40 times.
That doesn’t happen on the map on this page: it uses an equal-area projection centered on Galicia. To move them across a Mercator map yourself, open them in the True size map.
From end to end
The longest straight line between two points of Galicia is about 150 mi (240 km), running southwest to northeast; for Switzerland it’s about 220 mi (350 km), west to east.
End to end, Switzerland is 48% longer than Galicia.
Frequently asked questions
Is Galicia bigger than Switzerland?
No. Galicia covers 11,422 sq mi (29,584 km²) and Switzerland 15,943 sq mi (41,291 km²): Switzerland is 40% bigger.
How many times does Galicia fit into Switzerland?
1.40 times: 15,943 sq mi (41,291 km²) divided by 11,422 sq mi (29,584 km²). These are the same areas as in the True size map (Spain’s IGN and World Bank).
Which has more people, Galicia or Switzerland?
Switzerland: 9.1 million people versus 2.7 million (3.35 times as many). Per square mile, 238 per sq mi (92 per km²) in Galicia and 570 per sq mi (220 per km²) in Switzerland.
Why does Switzerland look bigger on maps?
Because of the Mercator projection: Switzerland is farther from the equator (centered at 47° N), and that map enlarges its area 2.1 times, versus 1.9 times for Galicia. On an equal-area projection, like the map on this page, they appear in their true proportion.
Which US state is about the size of Galicia?
Vermont (9,615 sq mi) and New Hampshire (9,350 sq mi) are the states closest in area to Galicia, which covers 11,422 sq mi (29,584 km²).
More comparisons
All comparisons- Portugal vs Andalusia Andalusia fits into Portugal 1.05 times
- Spain vs Texas Spain fits into Texas 1.37 times
- Spain vs California California fits into Spain 1.19 times
- Castile and León vs Indiana Almost the same size: 0.1% apart
- UK vs USA The United Kingdom fits into the United States 40.4 times
- Mexico vs USA Mexico fits into the United States 5.02 times
- Compare country sizes Drag countries across the map to see their true size, free from the stretch of the Mercator projection.
Sources
- Country outlines (Admin 0, 1:10m) · Natural Earth (public domain)
- Autonomous communities and their area (BDDAE) · Instituto Geográfico Nacional (CC BY 4.0)
- Country area (AG.SRF.TOTL.K2), when it matches the map (±10%) · World Bank (CC BY 4.0)
- Country population (SP.POP.TOTL), 2025 · World Bank (CC BY 4.0)
- Population register on January 1, 2025 · INE (Spain)