Malta vs US size comparison
How Big Is Malta Compared to the US?
The US is about 31,000 times the size of Malta. Malta is about 53 times as densely populated. Drag Malta over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Malta vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Malta laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Malta
- 316 km² (122 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 31,000 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Rhode Island (4,001 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Malta 579,704; the US 341,784,857
- Malta's rank by area
- 188th-largest of 197
How big Malta is compared with the US
The US is about 31,000 times the size of Malta: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 316 km² (122 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Malta about 26,000 times. Malta is smaller than every US state, even Rhode Island. It is the 188th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 43rd-largest of 47 in Europe; the US is the third-largest.
Malta has about 579,700 people (2025), the 168th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 1,835 people per km² it is about 53 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the fifth-most densely populated country.
Malta and the US on a world map
Malta lies at 36°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 Malta about 1.52 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 47,000 times the size of Malta, when it is really about 31,000 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Malta is
Malta's capital, Valletta, is 7,720 km (4,800 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Malta is an island country with no land borders.
Malta and US in numbers
| Malta | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 316 km² 122 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 31,119× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 579,704 | 341,784,857 | The US has 590× more |
| Rank by area | 188th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 1,835 | 35 | Malta is 53× denser |
| Capital | Valletta | Washington, D.C. | 7,720 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 0 | 2 |
Malta compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Malta bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 31,000 times the size of Malta: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 316 km² (122 sq mi).
How many times would Malta fit into the US?
About 31,000 times (31,119). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 26,000 times.
Which US state is Malta closest in size to?
Rhode Island (4,001 km²). Rhode Island is about 13 times the size of Malta.
Is Malta bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 2,201 times the size of Malta.
Which has more people, Malta or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 590 times the 579,700 in Malta.
Why does Malta 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 Malta, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 47,000 times the size of Malta, not 31,000.
Where does Malta rank by size?
Malta is the 188th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 43rd-largest in Europe. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Malta from the US?
Malta's capital, Valletta, is 7,720 km (4,800 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.