Libya vs US size comparison
How Big Is Libya Compared to the US?
The US is about 5.6 times the size of Libya. Drag Libya over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Libya vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Libya laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Libya
- 1,759,540 km² (679,362 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 5.6 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Alaska (1,724,220 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Libya 7,458,555; the US 341,784,857
- Libya's rank by area
- 16th-largest of 197
How big Libya is compared with the US
The US is about 5.6 times the size of Libya: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,759,540 km² (679,362 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Libya about 4.6 times. Libya is bigger than every US state, Alaska included. It is the 16th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the fourth-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Libya has about 7 million people (2025), the 105th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 4.2 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 8.2 times as crowded.
Libya and the US on a world map
Libya reaches from 20°N to 33°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 Libya about 1.26 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 10 times the size of Libya, when it is really about 5.6 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Libya is
Libya's capital, Tripoli, is 7,810 km (4,850 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Libya borders 6 countries: Algeria, Egypt, Niger, Sudan, Chad and Tunisia.
Libya and US in numbers
| Libya | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 1,759,540 km² 679,362 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 5.6× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 7,458,555 | 341,784,857 | The US has 46× more |
| Rank by area | 16th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 4 | 35 | The US is 8.2× denser |
| Capital | Tripoli | Washington, D.C. | 7,810 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 6 | 2 |
Libya compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Libya bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 5.6 times the size of Libya: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,759,540 km² (679,362 sq mi).
How many times would Libya fit into the US?
About 5.6 times (5.59). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 4.6 times.
Which US state is Libya closest in size to?
Alaska (1,724,220 km²). Libya is about the same size as Alaska.
Is Libya bigger than Texas?
Yes. Libya is about 2.53 times the size of Texas (695,668 km²).
Which has more people, Libya or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 46 times the 7 million in Libya.
Why does Libya 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 Libya, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 10 times the size of Libya, not 5.6.
Where does Libya rank by size?
Libya is the 16th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the fourth-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Libya from the US?
Libya's capital, Tripoli, is 7,810 km (4,850 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.