Lesotho vs US size comparison
How Big Is Lesotho Compared to the US?
The US is about 324 times the size of Lesotho. Lesotho is about 2.24 times as densely populated. Drag Lesotho over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Lesotho vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Lesotho laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Lesotho
- 30,355 km² (11,720 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 324 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Maryland (32,131 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Lesotho 2,363,325; the US 341,784,857
- Lesotho's rank by area
- 138th-largest of 197
How big Lesotho is compared with the US
The US is about 324 times the size of Lesotho: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 30,355 km² (11,720 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Lesotho about 267 times. Lesotho is bigger than 8 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 42; the state closest in size is Maryland (32,131 km²). It is the 138th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 43rd-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Lesotho has about 2 million people (2025), the 143rd-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 78 people per km² it is about 2.24 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 110th-most densely populated country.
Lesotho and the US on a world map
Lesotho reaches from 31°S to 29°S; 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 Lesotho about 1.32 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 564 times the size of Lesotho, when it is really about 324 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Lesotho is
Lesotho's capital, Maseru, is 13,180 km (8,190 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Lesotho borders one country: South Africa. It has no coast.
Lesotho and US in numbers
| Lesotho | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 30,355 km² 11,720 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 324× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 2,363,325 | 341,784,857 | The US has 145× more |
| Rank by area | 138th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 78 | 35 | Lesotho is 2.24× denser |
| Capital | Maseru | Washington, D.C. | 13,180 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 1 | 2 |
Lesotho compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Lesotho bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 324 times the size of Lesotho: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 30,355 km² (11,720 sq mi).
How many times would Lesotho fit into the US?
About 324 times (324). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 267 times.
Which US state is Lesotho closest in size to?
Maryland (32,131 km²). Lesotho is about the same size as Maryland.
Is Lesotho bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 23 times the size of Lesotho.
Which has more people, Lesotho or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 145 times the 2 million in Lesotho.
Why does Lesotho 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 Lesotho, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 564 times the size of Lesotho, not 324.
Where does Lesotho rank by size?
Lesotho is the 138th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 43rd-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Lesotho from the US?
Lesotho's capital, Maseru, is 13,180 km (8,190 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.