Kenya vs US size comparison
How Big Is Kenya Compared to the US?
The US is about 17 times the size of Kenya. Kenya is about 2.85 times as densely populated. Drag Kenya over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Kenya vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Kenya laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Kenya
- 580,367 km² (224,081 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 17 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Texas (695,668 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Kenya 57,532,493; the US 341,784,857
- Kenya's rank by area
- 49th-largest of 197
How big Kenya is compared with the US
The US is about 17 times the size of Kenya: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 580,367 km² (224,081 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Kenya about 14 times. Kenya is bigger than 48 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 2; the state closest in size is Texas (695,668 km²). It is the 49th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 24th-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Kenya has about 58 million people (2025), the 26th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 99 people per km² it is about 2.85 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 92nd-most densely populated country.
Kenya and the US on a world map
Kenya reaches from 5°S to 5°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 Kenya about 1.0 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 39 times the size of Kenya, when it is really about 17 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Kenya is
Kenya's capital, Nairobi, is 12,140 km (7,540 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Kenya borders 5 countries: Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Kenya and US in numbers
| Kenya | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 580,367 km² 224,081 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 17× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 57,532,493 | 341,784,857 | The US has 5.9× more |
| Rank by area | 49th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 99 | 35 | Kenya is 2.85× denser |
| Capital | Nairobi | Washington, D.C. | 12,140 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 5 | 2 |
Kenya compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Kenya bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 17 times the size of Kenya: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 580,367 km² (224,081 sq mi).
How many times would Kenya fit into the US?
About 17 times (16.94). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 14 times.
Which US state is Kenya closest in size to?
Texas (695,668 km²). Texas is about 1.2 times the size of Kenya.
Which has more people, Kenya or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 5.9 times the 58 million in Kenya.
Why does Kenya 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 Kenya, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 39 times the size of Kenya, not 17.
Where does Kenya rank by size?
Kenya is the 49th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 24th-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Kenya from the US?
Kenya's capital, Nairobi, is 12,140 km (7,540 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.