Nauru vs US size comparison
How Big Is Nauru Compared to the US?
The US is about 470,000 times the size of Nauru. Nauru is about 16 times as densely populated. Drag Nauru over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Nauru vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Nauru laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Nauru
- 21 km² (8.11 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 470,000 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Rhode Island (4,001 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Nauru 12,025; the US 341,784,857
- Nauru's rank by area
- 195th-largest of 197
How big Nauru is compared with the US
The US is about 470,000 times the size of Nauru: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 21 km² (8.11 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Nauru about 390,000 times. Nauru is smaller than every US state, even Rhode Island. It is the 195th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 14th-largest of 14 in Oceania; the US is the third-largest.
Nauru has about 12,000 people (2025), the 195th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 573 people per km² it is about 16 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 12th-most densely populated country.
Nauru and the US on a world map
Nauru lies at 1°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 Nauru about 1.0 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 1.1 million times the size of Nauru, when it is really about 470,000 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Nauru is
Nauru's capital, Yaren, is 12,270 km (7,620 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Nauru is an island country with no land borders.
Nauru and US in numbers
| Nauru | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 21 km² 8.11 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 468,263× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 12,025 | 341,784,857 | The US has 28,423× more |
| Rank by area | 195th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 573 | 35 | Nauru is 16× denser |
| Capital | Yaren | Washington, D.C. | 12,270 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 0 | 2 |
Nauru compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Nauru bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 470,000 times the size of Nauru: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 21 km² (8.11 sq mi).
How many times would Nauru fit into the US?
About 470,000 times (468,263). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 390,000 times.
Which US state is Nauru closest in size to?
Rhode Island (4,001 km²). Rhode Island is about 191 times the size of Nauru.
Is Nauru bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 33,000 times the size of Nauru.
Which has more people, Nauru or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 28,000 times the 12,000 in Nauru.
Why does Nauru 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 Nauru, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 1.1 million times the size of Nauru, not 470,000.
Where does Nauru rank by size?
Nauru is the 195th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 14th-largest in Oceania. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Nauru from the US?
Nauru's capital, Yaren, is 12,270 km (7,620 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.