Skip to content
Compare sizes

Russia vs Africa: size comparison

Russia fits into Africa 1.77 times: 6,612,073 sq mi (17,125,190 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 Russia on top of Africa at true size

1.77× Russia fits into Africa 1.77 times

  • Africa about 11,700,000 sq mi below, in its real place
  • Russia 6,612,073 sq mi on top, centered on Africa
  • Russia in its real place
Open in “True size map”

Drag Russia 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. Russia has been rotated across the globe, without changing its shape or size, until its center sits on the center of Africa.

The dashed line is Russia in its real place.

The figures

Figure Russia Africa
Area 6,612,073 sq mi 17,125,190 km² · World Bank about 11,700,000 sq mi 30,300,000 km² · sum of its countries
Population 144 million World Bank, 2025 1.55 billion World Bank, 2025
Density 22 per sq mi 8.4 per km² 132 per sq mi 51 per km²
Size rank 1st of 193 countries —
Mercator enlarges it ×4.9 centered at 66° N ×1.1 centered at 6° N

Which is bigger, Russia or Africa?

Russia is the largest country in the world, and on Mercator maps it looks bigger than Africa because almost all of it lies far to the north. In reality Africa is almost twice as big.

The difference is about 5,100,000 sq mi (13,200,000 km²).

Population and density

Russia has a population of 144 million and Africa 1.55 billion (World Bank, 2025).

That’s 22 per sq mi (8.4 per km²) in Russia and 132 per sq mi (51 per km²) in Africa: Africa has 6.08 times as many people per square mile as Russia.

Africa has more land and more people too: 10.8 times as many as Russia.

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. Russia, centered at 66° N, comes out 4.9 times bigger than it really is overall; Africa, at 6° N, 1.1 times.

That’s why on those maps Russia looks bigger than Africa: on paper it takes up 2.48 times as much space, when in reality Africa is 1.77 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 Russia bigger than Africa?

No. Russia covers 6,612,073 sq mi (17,125,190 km²) and Africa about 11,700,000 sq mi (30,300,000 km²): Africa is 1.77 times as big.

How many times does Russia fit into Africa?

1.77 times: about 11,700,000 sq mi (30,300,000 km²) divided by 6,612,073 sq mi (17,125,190 km²). These are the same areas as in the True size map (World Bank and sum of its countries).

Which has more people, Russia or Africa?

Africa: 1.55 billion people versus 144 million (10.8 times as many). Per square mile, 22 per sq mi (8.4 per km²) in Russia and 132 per sq mi (51 per km²) in Africa.

Why does Russia look bigger on maps?

Because of the Mercator projection: Russia is farther from the equator (centered at 66° N), and that map enlarges its area 4.9 times, versus 1.1 times for Africa. On an equal-area projection, like the map on this page, they appear in their true proportion.

More comparisons

All comparisons

Sources