Mali vs US size comparison
How Big Is Mali Compared to the US?
The US is about 7.9 times the size of Mali. Drag Mali over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Mali vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Mali laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Mali
- 1,240,192 km² (478,841 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 7.9 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Alaska (1,724,220 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Mali 25,198,821; the US 341,784,857
- Mali's rank by area
- 23rd-largest of 197
How big Mali is compared with the US
The US is about 7.9 times the size of Mali: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,240,192 km² (478,841 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Mali about 6.5 times. Mali is bigger than every US state except Alaska. It is the 23rd-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the eighth-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Mali has about 25 million people (2025), the 58th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 20.3 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 1.71 times as crowded.
Mali and the US on a world map
Mali reaches from 10°N to 25°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 Mali about 1.1 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 17 times the size of Mali, when it is really about 7.9 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Mali is
Mali's capital, Bamako, is 7,330 km (4,550 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Mali borders 7 countries: Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal. It has no coast.
Mali and US in numbers
| Mali | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 1,240,192 km² 478,841 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 7.9× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 25,198,821 | 341,784,857 | The US has 14× more |
| Rank by area | 23rd-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 20 | 35 | The US is 1.71× denser |
| Capital | Bamako | Washington, D.C. | 7,330 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 7 | 2 |
Mali compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Mali bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 7.9 times the size of Mali: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,240,192 km² (478,841 sq mi).
How many times would Mali fit into the US?
About 7.9 times (7.93). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 6.5 times.
Which US state is Mali closest in size to?
Alaska (1,724,220 km²). Alaska is about 1.39 times the size of Mali.
Is Mali bigger than Texas?
Yes. Mali is about 1.78 times the size of Texas (695,668 km²).
Which has more people, Mali or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 14 times the 25 million in Mali.
Why does Mali 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 Mali, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 17 times the size of Mali, not 7.9.
Where does Mali rank by size?
Mali is the 23rd-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the eighth-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Mali from the US?
Mali's capital, Bamako, is 7,330 km (4,550 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.