Marshall Islands vs US size comparison
How Big Is the Marshall Islands Compared to the US?
The US is about 54,000 times the size of the Marshall Islands. The Marshall Islands is about 5.8 times as densely populated. Drag the Marshall Islands over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Marshall Islands vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: the Marshall Islands laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of the Marshall Islands
- 181 km² (70 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 54,000 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Rhode Island (4,001 km²)
- Population (2025)
- The Marshall Islands 36,282; the US 341,784,857
- The Marshall Islands's rank by area
- 191st-largest of 197
How big the Marshall Islands is compared with the US
The US is about 54,000 times the size of the Marshall Islands: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 181 km² (70 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold the Marshall Islands about 45,000 times. The Marshall Islands is smaller than every US state, even Rhode Island. It is the 191st-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 12th-largest of 14 in Oceania; the US is the third-largest.
The Marshall Islands has about 36,300 people (2025), the 192nd-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 200 people per km² it is about 5.8 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 52nd-most densely populated country.
The Marshall Islands and the US on a world map
The Marshall Islands reaches from 5°N to 15°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 the Marshall Islands about 1.02 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 120,000 times the size of the Marshall Islands, when it is really about 54,000 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where the Marshall Islands is
The Marshall Islands's capital, Majuro, is 11,330 km (7,040 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. The Marshall Islands is an island country with no land borders.
Marshall Islands and US in numbers
| Marshall Islands | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 181 km² 70 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 54,329× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 36,282 | 341,784,857 | The US has 9,420× more |
| Rank by area | 191st-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 200 | 35 | The Marshall Islands is 5.8× denser |
| Capital | Majuro | Washington, D.C. | 11,330 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 0 | 2 |
Marshall Islands compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is the Marshall Islands bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 54,000 times the size of the Marshall Islands: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 181 km² (70 sq mi).
How many times would the Marshall Islands fit into the US?
About 54,000 times (54,329). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 45,000 times.
Which US state is the Marshall Islands closest in size to?
Rhode Island (4,001 km²). Rhode Island is about 22 times the size of the Marshall Islands.
Is the Marshall Islands bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 3,843 times the size of the Marshall Islands.
Which has more people, the Marshall Islands or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 9,420 times the 36,300 in the Marshall Islands.
Why does the Marshall Islands 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 the Marshall Islands, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 120,000 times the size of the Marshall Islands, not 54,000.
Where does the Marshall Islands rank by size?
The Marshall Islands is the 191st-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 12th-largest in Oceania. The US is the third-largest.
How far is the Marshall Islands from the US?
The Marshall Islands's capital, Majuro, is 11,330 km (7,040 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.