Mauritania vs US size comparison
How Big Is Mauritania Compared to the US?
The US is about 9.5 times the size of Mauritania. Drag Mauritania over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Mauritania vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Mauritania laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Mauritania
- 1,030,700 km² (397,955 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 9.5 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Texas (695,668 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Mauritania 5,315,065; the US 341,784,857
- Mauritania's rank by area
- 28th-largest of 197
How big Mauritania is compared with the US
The US is about 9.5 times the size of Mauritania: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,030,700 km² (397,955 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Mauritania about 7.9 times. Mauritania is bigger than every US state except Alaska. It is the 28th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 11th-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Mauritania has about 5 million people (2025), the 125th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 5.2 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 6.7 times as crowded.
Mauritania and the US on a world map
Mauritania reaches from 15°N to 27°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 Mauritania about 1.14 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 19 times the size of Mauritania, when it is really about 9.5 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Mauritania is
Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott, is 6,280 km (3,900 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Mauritania borders 4 countries: Algeria, Morocco, Mali and Senegal.
Mauritania and US in numbers
| Mauritania | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 1,030,700 km² 397,955 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 9.5× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 5,315,065 | 341,784,857 | The US has 64× more |
| Rank by area | 28th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 5 | 35 | The US is 6.7× denser |
| Capital | Nouakchott | Washington, D.C. | 6,280 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 4 | 2 |
Mauritania compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Mauritania bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 9.5 times the size of Mauritania: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,030,700 km² (397,955 sq mi).
How many times would Mauritania fit into the US?
About 9.5 times (9.54). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 7.9 times.
Which US state is Mauritania closest in size to?
Texas (695,668 km²). Mauritania is about 1.48 times the size of Texas.
Which has more people, Mauritania or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 64 times the 5 million in Mauritania.
Why does Mauritania 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 Mauritania, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 19 times the size of Mauritania, not 9.5.
Where does Mauritania rank by size?
Mauritania is the 28th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 11th-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Mauritania from the US?
Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott, is 6,280 km (3,900 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.