Bhutan vs US size comparison
How Big Is Bhutan Compared to the US?
The US is about 256 times the size of Bhutan. Drag Bhutan over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Bhutan vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Bhutan laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Bhutan
- 38,394 km² (14,824 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 256 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Maryland (32,131 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Bhutan 796,682; the US 341,784,857
- Bhutan's rank by area
- 133rd-largest of 197
How big Bhutan is compared with the US
The US is about 256 times the size of Bhutan: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 38,394 km² (14,824 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Bhutan about 211 times. Bhutan is bigger than 9 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 41; the state closest in size is Maryland (32,131 km²). It is the 133rd-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 35th-largest of 47 in Asia; the US is the third-largest.
Bhutan has about 796,700 people (2025), the 164th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 20.8 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 1.68 times as crowded.
Bhutan and the US on a world map
Bhutan reaches from 27°N to 28°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 Bhutan about 1.27 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 464 times the size of Bhutan, when it is really about 256 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Bhutan is
Bhutan's capital, Thimphu, is 12,510 km (7,770 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Bhutan borders 2 countries: China and India. It has no coast.
Bhutan and US in numbers
| Bhutan | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 38,394 km² 14,824 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 256× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 796,682 | 341,784,857 | The US has 429× more |
| Rank by area | 133rd-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 21 | 35 | The US is 1.68× denser |
| Capital | Thimphu | Washington, D.C. | 12,510 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 2 | 2 |
Bhutan compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Bhutan bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 256 times the size of Bhutan: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 38,394 km² (14,824 sq mi).
How many times would Bhutan fit into the US?
About 256 times (256). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 211 times.
Which US state is Bhutan closest in size to?
Maryland (32,131 km²). Bhutan is about 1.19 times the size of Maryland.
Is Bhutan bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 18 times the size of Bhutan.
Which has more people, Bhutan or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 429 times the 796,700 in Bhutan.
Why does Bhutan 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 Bhutan, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 464 times the size of Bhutan, not 256.
Where does Bhutan rank by size?
Bhutan is the 133rd-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 35th-largest in Asia. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Bhutan from the US?
Bhutan's capital, Thimphu, is 12,510 km (7,770 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.