Madagascar vs US size comparison
How Big Is Madagascar Compared to the US?
The US is about 17 times the size of Madagascar. Madagascar is about 1.6 times as densely populated. Drag Madagascar over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Madagascar vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Madagascar laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Madagascar
- 587,041 km² (226,658 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)
- Madagascar 32,740,678; the US 341,784,857
- Madagascar's rank by area
- 47th-largest of 197
How big Madagascar is compared with the US
The US is about 17 times the size of Madagascar: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 587,041 km² (226,658 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Madagascar about 14 times. Madagascar 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 47th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 22nd-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Madagascar has about 33 million people (2025), the 49th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 56 people per km² it is about 1.6 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 132nd-most densely populated country.
Madagascar and the US on a world map
Madagascar reaches from 26°S to 12°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 Madagascar about 1.13 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 34 times the size of Madagascar, when it is really about 17 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Madagascar is
Madagascar's capital, Antananarivo, is 14,280 km (8,870 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Madagascar is an island country with no land borders.
Madagascar and US in numbers
| Madagascar | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 587,041 km² 226,658 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 17× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 32,740,678 | 341,784,857 | The US has 10× more |
| Rank by area | 47th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 56 | 35 | Madagascar is 1.6× denser |
| Capital | Antananarivo | Washington, D.C. | 14,280 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 0 | 2 |
Madagascar compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Madagascar bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 17 times the size of Madagascar: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 587,041 km² (226,658 sq mi).
How many times would Madagascar fit into the US?
About 17 times (16.75). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 14 times.
Which US state is Madagascar closest in size to?
Texas (695,668 km²). Texas is about 1.19 times the size of Madagascar.
Which has more people, Madagascar or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 10 times the 33 million in Madagascar.
Why does Madagascar 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 Madagascar, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 34 times the size of Madagascar, not 17.
Where does Madagascar rank by size?
Madagascar is the 47th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 22nd-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Madagascar from the US?
Madagascar's capital, Antananarivo, is 14,280 km (8,870 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.