Laos vs US size comparison
How Big Is Laos Compared to the US?
The US is about 42 times the size of Laos. Drag Laos over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Laos vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Laos laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Laos
- 236,800 km² (91,429 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 42 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Minnesota (225,182 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Laos 7,873,046; the US 341,784,857
- Laos's rank by area
- 82nd-largest of 197
How big Laos is compared with the US
The US is about 42 times the size of Laos: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 236,800 km² (91,429 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Laos about 34 times. Laos is bigger than 39 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 11; the state closest in size is Minnesota (225,182 km²). It is the 82nd-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 21st-largest of 47 in Asia; the US is the third-largest.
Laos has about 8 million people (2025), the 103rd-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. At 33 people per km², it is about as crowded as the US (35).
Laos and the US on a world map
Laos reaches from 14°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 Laos about 1.11 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 86 times the size of Laos, when it is really about 42 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Laos is
Laos's capital, Vientiane, is 13,690 km (8,510 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Laos borders 5 countries: China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. It has no coast.
Laos and US in numbers
| Laos | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 236,800 km² 91,429 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 42× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 7,873,046 | 341,784,857 | The US has 43× more |
| Rank by area | 82nd-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 33 | 35 | The US is 1.05× denser |
| Capital | Vientiane | Washington, D.C. | 13,690 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 5 | 2 |
Laos compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Laos bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 42 times the size of Laos: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 236,800 km² (91,429 sq mi).
How many times would Laos fit into the US?
About 42 times (41.53). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 34 times.
Which US state is Laos closest in size to?
Minnesota (225,182 km²). Laos is about the same size as Minnesota.
Is Laos bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 3 times the size of Laos.
Which has more people, Laos or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 43 times the 8 million in Laos.
Why does Laos 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 Laos, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 86 times the size of Laos, not 42.
Where does Laos rank by size?
Laos is the 82nd-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 21st-largest in Asia. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Laos from the US?
Laos's capital, Vientiane, is 13,690 km (8,510 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.