Cuba vs US size comparison
How Big Is Cuba Compared to the US?
The US is about 89 times the size of Cuba. Cuba is about 2.84 times as densely populated. Drag Cuba over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Cuba vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Cuba laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Cuba
- 110,860 km² (42,803 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 89 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Virginia (110,786 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Cuba 10,937,203; the US 341,784,857
- Cuba's rank by area
- 104th-largest of 197
How big Cuba is compared with the US
The US is about 89 times the size of Cuba: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 110,860 km² (42,803 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Cuba about 73 times. Cuba is bigger than 16 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 34; the state closest in size is Virginia (110,786 km²). It is the 104th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the sixth-largest of 23 in North America; the US is the third-largest.
Cuba has about 11 million people (2025), the 88th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 99 people per km² it is about 2.84 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 93rd-most densely populated country.
Cuba and the US on a world map
Cuba reaches from 20°N to 23°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 Cuba about 1.16 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 176 times the size of Cuba, when it is really about 89 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Cuba is
Cuba's capital, Havana, is 1,820 km (1,130 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Cuba is an island country with no land borders.
Cuba and US in numbers
| Cuba | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 110,860 km² 42,803 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 89× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 10,937,203 | 341,784,857 | The US has 31× more |
| Rank by area | 104th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 99 | 35 | Cuba is 2.84× denser |
| Capital | Havana | Washington, D.C. | 1,820 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 0 | 2 |
Cuba compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Cuba bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 89 times the size of Cuba: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 110,860 km² (42,803 sq mi).
How many times would Cuba fit into the US?
About 89 times (88.70). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 73 times.
Which US state is Cuba closest in size to?
Virginia (110,786 km²). Cuba is about the same size as Virginia.
Is Cuba bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 6.3 times the size of Cuba.
Which has more people, Cuba or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 31 times the 11 million in Cuba.
Why does Cuba 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 Cuba, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 176 times the size of Cuba, not 89.
Where does Cuba rank by size?
Cuba is the 104th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the sixth-largest in North America. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Cuba from the US?
Cuba's capital, Havana, is 1,820 km (1,130 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.