Gambia vs US size comparison
How Big Is the Gambia Compared to the US?
The US is about 870 times the size of the Gambia. The Gambia is about 7.2 times as densely populated. Drag the Gambia over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Gambia vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: the Gambia laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of the Gambia
- 11,300 km² (4,363 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 870 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Connecticut (14,358 km²)
- Population (2025)
- The Gambia 2,822,093; the US 341,784,857
- The Gambia's rank by area
- 160th-largest of 197
How big the Gambia is compared with the US
The US is about 870 times the size of the Gambia: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 11,300 km² (4,363 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold the Gambia about 716 times. The Gambia is bigger than 2 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 48; the state closest in size is Connecticut (14,358 km²). It is the 160th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 49th-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
The Gambia has about 3 million people (2025), the 140th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 250 people per km² it is about 7.2 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 43rd-most densely populated country.
The Gambia and the US on a world map
The Gambia lies at 13°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 the Gambia about 1.06 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 1,888 times the size of the Gambia, when it is really about 870 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where the Gambia is
The Gambia's capital, Banjul, is 6,530 km (4,060 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. The Gambia borders one country: Senegal.
Gambia and US in numbers
| Gambia | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 11,300 km² 4,363 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 870× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 2,822,093 | 341,784,857 | The US has 121× more |
| Rank by area | 160th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 250 | 35 | The Gambia is 7.2× denser |
| Capital | Banjul | Washington, D.C. | 6,530 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 1 | 2 |
Gambia compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is the Gambia bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 870 times the size of the Gambia: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 11,300 km² (4,363 sq mi).
How many times would the Gambia fit into the US?
About 870 times (870). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 716 times.
Which US state is the Gambia closest in size to?
Connecticut (14,358 km²). Connecticut is about 1.27 times the size of the Gambia.
Is the Gambia bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 62 times the size of the Gambia.
Which has more people, the Gambia or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 121 times the 3 million in the Gambia.
Why does the Gambia 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 the Gambia, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 1,888 times the size of the Gambia, not 870.
Where does the Gambia rank by size?
The Gambia is the 160th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 49th-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is the Gambia from the US?
The Gambia's capital, Banjul, is 6,530 km (4,060 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.