Australia vs US size comparison
How Big Is Australia Compared to the US?
The US is about 1.27 times the size of Australia. Drag Australia over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Australia vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Australia laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Australia
- 7,741,220 km² (2,988,901 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 1.27 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Alaska (1,724,220 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Australia 27,614,411; the US 341,784,857
- Australia's rank by area
- Sixth-largest of 197
How big Australia is compared with the US
The US is about 1.27 times the size of Australia: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 7,741,220 km² (2,988,901 sq mi). Australia is about the same size as the 48 contiguous states put together; Alaska makes the difference. Australia is bigger than every US state, Alaska included. It is the sixth-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the largest in Oceania; the US is the third-largest.
Australia has about 28 million people (2025), the 55th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 3.6 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 9.7 times as crowded.
Australia and the US on a world map
Australia reaches from 55°S to 9°S; the US from 19°N to 71°N, with Hawaii in the south and Alaska in the far north. Most world maps use the Mercator projection, which enlarges places more the further they are from the Equator. It draws Australia about 1.25 times its real size and the US about 2.3 times (Alaska far more than Florida). So on a normal world map the US looks about 2.34 times the size of Australia, when it is really about 1.27 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Australia is
Australia's capital, Canberra, is 15,950 km (9,910 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Australia is an island country with no land borders.
Australia and US in numbers
| Australia | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 7,741,220 km² 2,988,901 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 1.27× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 27,614,411 | 341,784,857 | The US has 12× more |
| Rank by area | Sixth-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 4 | 35 | The US is 9.7× denser |
| Capital | Canberra | Washington, D.C. | 15,950 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 0 | 2 |
Australia compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Australia bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 1.27 times the size of Australia: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 7,741,220 km² (2,988,901 sq mi).
How many times would Australia fit into the US?
About 1.27 times (1.27).
Which US state is Australia closest in size to?
Alaska (1,724,220 km²). Australia is about 4.5 times the size of Alaska.
Is Australia bigger than Texas?
Yes. Australia is about 11 times the size of Texas (695,668 km²).
Which has more people, Australia or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 12 times the 28 million in Australia.
Why does Australia look so small on a world map?
Most world maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches places more the further they are from the Equator. The US is further from the Equator than Australia, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 2.34 times the size of Australia, not 1.27.
Where does Australia rank by size?
Australia is the sixth-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the largest in Oceania. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Australia from the US?
Australia's capital, Canberra, is 15,950 km (9,910 miles) from Washington, D.C. in a straight line.
Sources
- Areas: CIA World Factbook (total area, land and water). US states: US Census Bureau.
- Populations: World Bank, World Development Indicators (2025).
- Outlines are drawn on an equal-area projection, so their sizes on the map match their real areas.