Latvia vs US size comparison
How Big Is Latvia Compared to the US?
The US is about 152 times the size of Latvia. Drag Latvia over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Latvia vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Latvia laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Latvia
- 64,589 km² (24,938 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 152 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- West Virginia (62,755 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Latvia 1,847,785; the US 341,784,857
- Latvia's rank by area
- 122nd-largest of 197
How big Latvia is compared with the US
The US is about 152 times the size of Latvia: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 64,589 km² (24,938 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Latvia about 125 times. Latvia is bigger than 10 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 40; the state closest in size is West Virginia (62,755 km²). It is the 122nd-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 25th-largest of 47 in Europe; the US is the third-largest.
Latvia has about 2 million people (2025), the 149th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 28.6 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 1.21 times as crowded.
Latvia and the US on a world map
Latvia reaches from 56°N to 58°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 Latvia about 3.4 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 105 times the size of Latvia, when it is really about 152 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Latvia is
Latvia's capital, Riga, is 7,080 km (4,400 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Latvia borders 4 countries: Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania and Russia.
Latvia and US in numbers
| Latvia | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 64,589 km² 24,938 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 152× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 1,847,785 | 341,784,857 | The US has 185× more |
| Rank by area | 122nd-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 29 | 35 | The US is 1.21× denser |
| Capital | Riga | Washington, D.C. | 7,080 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 4 | 2 |
Latvia compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Latvia bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 152 times the size of Latvia: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 64,589 km² (24,938 sq mi).
How many times would Latvia fit into the US?
About 152 times (152). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 125 times.
Which US state is Latvia closest in size to?
West Virginia (62,755 km²). Latvia is about the same size as West Virginia.
Is Latvia bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 11 times the size of Latvia.
Which has more people, Latvia or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 185 times the 2 million in Latvia.
Why does the US look so big on a world map?
Most world maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches places more the further they are from the Equator. Latvia is further from the Equator than the US, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 105 times the size of Latvia, not 152.
Where does Latvia rank by size?
Latvia is the 122nd-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 25th-largest in Europe. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Latvia from the US?
Latvia's capital, Riga, is 7,080 km (4,400 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.