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Greenland vs Africa: size comparison

Greenland fits into Africa 14.2 times: about 825,000 sq mi (2,140,000 km²) versus about 11,700,000 sq mi (30,300,000 km²). Here you can see both overlaid at their true size, with their population, density and end-to-end distance.

By the Mapsfera Team

Map of Greenland on top of Africa at true size

14.2× Greenland fits into Africa 14.2 times

  • Africa about 11,700,000 sq mi below, in its real place
  • Greenland about 825,000 sq mi on top, centered on Africa
Open in “True size map”

Drag Greenland over Africa on a Mercator map and watch how it changes with latitude.

Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on Africa: it preserves areas, so both appear in their true proportion. Greenland has been rotated across the globe, without changing its shape or size, until its center sits on the center of Africa.

The figures

Figure Greenland Africa
Area about 825,000 sq mi 2,140,000 km² · measured on the outline about 11,700,000 sq mi 30,300,000 km² · sum of its countries
Population 56,831 World Bank, 2025 1.55 billion World Bank, 2025
Density 0.07 per sq mi 0.03 per km² 132 per sq mi 51 per km²
Mercator enlarges it ×16 centered at 73° N ×1.1 centered at 6° N

Which is bigger, Greenland or Africa?

It’s the textbook example of Mercator distortion: on many world maps Greenland looks almost as big as Africa. It is the largest island in the world, but it is almost entirely covered in ice and has very few people.

The difference is about 10,900,000 sq mi (28,200,000 km²).

Population and density

Greenland has a population of 56,831 and Africa 1.55 billion (World Bank, 2025).

That’s 0.07 per sq mi (0.03 per km²) in Greenland and 132 per sq mi (51 per km²) in Africa: Africa has 1,916 times as many people per square mile as Greenland.

Africa has more land and more people too: 27,195 times as many as Greenland.

The population of Africa is the sum of its countries with World Bank data; Somaliland, Western Sahara, and Bir Tawil have none.

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. Greenland, centered at 73° N, comes out 16 times bigger than it really is overall; Africa, at 6° N, 1.1 times.

That’s why on those maps Greenland looks bigger than Africa: on paper it takes up 1.04 times as much space, when in reality Africa is 14.2 times as big.

That doesn’t happen on the map on this page: it uses an equal-area projection centered on Africa. To move them across a Mercator map yourself, open them in the True size map.

Frequently asked questions

Is Greenland bigger than Africa?

No. Greenland covers about 825,000 sq mi (2,140,000 km²) and Africa about 11,700,000 sq mi (30,300,000 km²): Africa is 14.2 times as big.

How many times does Greenland fit into Africa?

14.2 times: about 11,700,000 sq mi (30,300,000 km²) divided by about 825,000 sq mi (2,140,000 km²). These are the same areas as in the True size map (measured on the outline and sum of its countries).

Which has more people, Greenland or Africa?

Africa: 1.55 billion people versus 56,831 (27,195 times as many). Per square mile, 0.07 per sq mi (0.03 per km²) in Greenland and 132 per sq mi (51 per km²) in Africa.

Why does Greenland look bigger on maps?

Because of the Mercator projection: Greenland is farther from the equator (centered at 73° N), and that map enlarges its area 16 times, versus 1.1 times for Africa. On an equal-area projection, like the map on this page, they appear in their true proportion.

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