Belize vs US size comparison
How Big Is Belize Compared to the US?
The US is about 428 times the size of Belize. Drag Belize over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Belize vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Belize laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Belize
- 22,966 km² (8,867 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 428 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- New Jersey (22,583 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Belize 422,924; the US 341,784,857
- Belize's rank by area
- 148th-largest of 197
How big Belize is compared with the US
The US is about 428 times the size of Belize: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 22,966 km² (8,867 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Belize about 353 times. Belize is bigger than 4 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 46; the state closest in size is New Jersey (22,583 km²). It is the 148th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 12th-largest of 23 in North America; the US is the third-largest.
Belize has about 422,900 people (2025), the 172nd-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 18.4 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 1.89 times as crowded.
Belize and the US on a world map
Belize reaches from 16°N to 18°N; 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 Belize about 1.1 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 895 times the size of Belize, when it is really about 428 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Belize is
Belize's capital, Belmopan, is 2,660 km (1,650 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Belize borders 2 countries: Guatemala and Mexico.
Belize and US in numbers
| Belize | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 22,966 km² 8,867 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 428× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 422,924 | 341,784,857 | The US has 808× more |
| Rank by area | 148th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 18 | 35 | The US is 1.89× denser |
| Capital | Belmopan | Washington, D.C. | 2,660 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 2 | 2 |
Belize compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Belize bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 428 times the size of Belize: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 22,966 km² (8,867 sq mi).
How many times would Belize fit into the US?
About 428 times (428). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 353 times.
Which US state is Belize closest in size to?
New Jersey (22,583 km²). Belize is about the same size as New Jersey.
Is Belize bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 30 times the size of Belize.
Which has more people, Belize or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 808 times the 422,900 in Belize.
Why does Belize 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 Belize, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 895 times the size of Belize, not 428.
Where does Belize rank by size?
Belize is the 148th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 12th-largest in North America. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Belize from the US?
Belize's capital, Belmopan, is 2,660 km (1,650 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.