Malawi vs US size comparison
How Big Is Malawi Compared to the US?
The US is about 83 times the size of Malawi. Malawi is about 5.4 times as densely populated. Drag Malawi over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Malawi vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Malawi laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Malawi
- 118,484 km² (45,747 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 83 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Pennsylvania (119,279 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Malawi 22,216,120; the US 341,784,857
- Malawi's rank by area
- 98th-largest of 197
How big Malawi is compared with the US
The US is about 83 times the size of Malawi: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 118,484 km² (45,747 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Malawi about 68 times. Malawi is bigger than 17 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 33; the state closest in size is Pennsylvania (119,279 km²). It is the 98th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 36th-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Malawi has about 22 million people (2025), the 61st-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 188 people per km² it is about 5.4 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 54th-most densely populated country.
Malawi and the US on a world map
Malawi reaches from 17°S to 9°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 Malawi about 1.06 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 180 times the size of Malawi, when it is really about 83 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Malawi is
Malawi's capital, Lilongwe, is 12,770 km (7,930 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Malawi borders 3 countries: Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. It has no coast.
Malawi and US in numbers
| Malawi | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 118,484 km² 45,747 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 83× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 22,216,120 | 341,784,857 | The US has 15× more |
| Rank by area | 98th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 188 | 35 | Malawi is 5.4× denser |
| Capital | Lilongwe | Washington, D.C. | 12,770 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 3 | 2 |
Malawi compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Malawi bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 83 times the size of Malawi: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 118,484 km² (45,747 sq mi).
How many times would Malawi fit into the US?
About 83 times (82.99). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 68 times.
Which US state is Malawi closest in size to?
Pennsylvania (119,279 km²). Malawi is about the same size as Pennsylvania.
Is Malawi bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 5.9 times the size of Malawi.
Which has more people, Malawi or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 15 times the 22 million in Malawi.
Why does Malawi 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 Malawi, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 180 times the size of Malawi, not 83.
Where does Malawi rank by size?
Malawi is the 98th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 36th-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Malawi from the US?
Malawi's capital, Lilongwe, is 12,770 km (7,930 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.