United Kingdom vs United States: size comparison
The United Kingdom fits into the United States 40.4 times: 94,058 sq mi (243,610 km²) versus 3,795,967 sq mi (9,831,510 km²). Here you can see both overlaid at their true size, with their population, density and end-to-end distance.
By the Mapsfera Team
40.4× The United Kingdom fits into the United States 40.4 times
- United States 3,795,967 sq mi below, in its real place
- United Kingdom 94,058 sq mi on top, centered on the United States
Drag both across a Mercator map and watch how they change with latitude.
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the United States: it preserves areas, so both appear in their true proportion. The United Kingdom has been rotated across the globe, without changing its shape or size, until its center sits on the center of the United States.
Alaska and Hawaii are not shown on the map (16% of the area of the United States), but they are included in the figures.
The figures
| Figure | United Kingdom | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 94,058 sq mi 243,610 km² · World Bank | 3,795,967 sq mi 9,831,510 km² · World Bank |
| Population | 69.5 million World Bank, 2025 | 342 million World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 739 per sq mi 285 per km² | 90 per sq mi 35 per km² |
| End to end | about 770 mi (1,240 km) | about 2,890 mi (4,650 km) |
| Size rank | 78th of 193 countries | 3rd of 193 countries |
| Mercator enlarges it | ×2.9 centered at 54° N | ×2.3 centered at 40° N |
Which is bigger, the United Kingdom or the United States?
The United Kingdom is Great Britain, Northern Ireland and hundreds of smaller islands. It was the center of the largest empire in history, and yet it fits into the United States dozens of times.
The difference is 3,701,909 sq mi (9,587,900 km²), roughly the size of China (3,692,260 sq mi).
The United Kingdom is the 78th-largest country in the world, and the United States is the 3rd-largest.
Without Alaska and Hawaii, the United States covers about 3,060,000 sq mi (7,930,000 km²), measured on its outline.
Population and density
The United Kingdom has a population of 69.5 million and the United States 342 million (World Bank, 2025).
That’s 739 per sq mi (285 per km²) in the United Kingdom and 90 per sq mi (35 per km²) in the United States: the United Kingdom has 8.20 times as many people per square mile as the United States.
The United States has more land and more people too: 4.92 times as many as the United Kingdom.
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. The United Kingdom, centered at 54° N, comes out 2.9 times bigger than it really is overall; the United States, at 40° N, 2.3 times.
That’s why on those maps the gap looks smaller than it is: on paper the United States takes up 31.6 times the space of the United Kingdom, but in reality it’s 40.4 times.
That doesn’t happen on the map on this page: it uses an equal-area projection centered on the United States. 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 the United Kingdom is about 770 mi (1,240 km), running south to north; for the United States (without Alaska and Hawaii) it’s about 2,890 mi (4,650 km), southwest to northeast.
End to end, the United States is 3.75 times as long as the United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
Is the United Kingdom bigger than the United States?
No. The United Kingdom covers 94,058 sq mi (243,610 km²) and the United States 3,795,967 sq mi (9,831,510 km²): the United States is 40.4 times as big.
How many times does the United Kingdom fit into the United States?
40.4 times: 3,795,967 sq mi (9,831,510 km²) divided by 94,058 sq mi (243,610 km²). These are the same areas as in the True size map (World Bank).
Which has more people, the United Kingdom or the United States?
The United States: 342 million people versus 69.5 million (4.92 times as many). Per square mile, 739 per sq mi (285 per km²) in the United Kingdom and 90 per sq mi (35 per km²) in the United States.
Why does the United Kingdom look bigger on maps?
Because of the Mercator projection: the United Kingdom is farther from the equator (centered at 54° N), and that map enlarges its area 2.9 times, versus 2.3 times for the United States. 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 the United Kingdom?
Wyoming (97,810 sq mi) and Oregon (98,378 sq mi) are the states closest in area to the United Kingdom, which covers 94,058 sq mi (243,610 km²).
More comparisons
All comparisons- Mexico vs USA Mexico fits into the United States 5.02 times
- Canada vs USA Almost the same size: 0.6% apart
- China vs USA China fits into the United States 1.03 times
- Brazil vs USA Brazil fits into the United States 1.16 times
- Australia vs USA Australia fits into the United States 1.27 times
- India vs USA India fits into the United States 2.99 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)
- 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)