Bolivia vs US size comparison
How Big Is Bolivia Compared to the US?
The US is about 9 times the size of Bolivia. Drag Bolivia over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Bolivia vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Bolivia laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Bolivia
- 1,098,581 km² (424,164 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 9 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Alaska (1,724,220 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Bolivia 12,581,843; the US 341,784,857
- Bolivia's rank by area
- 27th-largest of 197
How big Bolivia is compared with the US
The US is about 9 times the size of Bolivia: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,098,581 km² (424,164 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Bolivia about 7.4 times. Bolivia is bigger than every US state except Alaska. It is the 27th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the fifth-largest of 12 in South America; the US is the third-largest.
Bolivia has about 13 million people (2025), the 79th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 11.5 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 3 times as crowded.
Bolivia and the US on a world map
Bolivia reaches from 23°S to 10°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 Bolivia about 1.09 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 19 times the size of Bolivia, when it is really about 9 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Bolivia is
Bolivia's capital, La Paz, is 6,230 km (3,870 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Bolivia borders 5 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Paraguay. It has no coast.
Bolivia and US in numbers
| Bolivia | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 1,098,581 km² 424,164 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 9× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 12,581,843 | 341,784,857 | The US has 27× more |
| Rank by area | 27th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 11 | 35 | The US is 3× denser |
| Capital | La Paz | Washington, D.C. | 6,230 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 5 | 2 |
Bolivia compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Bolivia bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 9 times the size of Bolivia: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,098,581 km² (424,164 sq mi).
How many times would Bolivia fit into the US?
About 9 times (8.95). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 7.4 times.
Which US state is Bolivia closest in size to?
Alaska (1,724,220 km²). Alaska is about 1.57 times the size of Bolivia.
Is Bolivia bigger than Texas?
Yes. Bolivia is about 1.58 times the size of Texas (695,668 km²).
Which has more people, Bolivia or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 27 times the 13 million in Bolivia.
Why does Bolivia 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 Bolivia, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 19 times the size of Bolivia, not 9.
Where does Bolivia rank by size?
Bolivia is the 27th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the fifth-largest in South America. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Bolivia from the US?
Bolivia's capital, La Paz, is 6,230 km (3,870 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.