Canada vs US size comparison
How Big Is Canada Compared to the US?
Canada and the US are almost the same size (Canada is only 2% bigger). But the US has 8.2 times as many people, so it is about 8.3 times as crowded. Drag the US over Canada below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Canada vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: the US laid over Canada at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Canada
- 9,984,670 km² (3,855,101 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- Almost the same size
- Closest US state in size
- Alaska (1,724,220 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Canada 41,651,653; the US 341,784,857
- Canada's rank by area
- Second-largest of 197
How big Canada is compared with the US
Canada and the US are almost the same size (Canada is only 2% bigger): 9,984,670 km² (3,855,101 sq mi) against 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi). Canada is about 1.23 times the size of the 48 contiguous states. Canada is bigger than every US state, Alaska included. It is the second-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the largest in North America; the US is the third-largest.
Canada has about 42 million people (2025), the 38th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 4.2 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 8.3 times as crowded.
Canada and the US on a world map
Canada reaches from 42°N to 83°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 Canada about 5.1 times its real size and the US about 2.3 times (Alaska far more than Florida). So on a normal world map Canada looks about 2.27 times the size of the US, when it is really about 1.02 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Canada is
Canada's capital, Ottawa, is 730 km (460 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Canada borders 2 countries: Denmark and US.
Canada and US in numbers
| Canada | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 9,984,670 km² 3,855,101 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | Almost the same |
| Population (2025) | 41,651,653 | 341,784,857 | The US has 8.2× more |
| Rank by area | Second-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 4 | 35 | The US is 8.3× denser |
| Capital | Ottawa | Washington, D.C. | 730 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 2 | 2 |
Canada compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is the US bigger than Canada?
Only just not: Canada is 2% bigger, 9,984,670 km² (3,855,101 sq mi) against 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi).
Which US state is Canada closest in size to?
Alaska (1,724,220 km²). Canada is about 5.8 times the size of Alaska.
Is Canada bigger than Texas?
Yes. Canada is about 14 times the size of Texas (695,668 km²).
Which has more people, Canada or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 8.2 times the 42 million in Canada.
Where does Canada rank by size?
Canada is the second-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the largest in North America. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Canada from the US?
Canada's capital, Ottawa, is 730 km (460 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.