Netherlands vs US size comparison
How Big Is the Netherlands Compared to the US?
The US is about 237 times the size of the Netherlands. The Netherlands is about 13 times as densely populated. Drag the Netherlands over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn. Far-off islands of the Netherlands are not drawn.
Printable Netherlands vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: the Netherlands laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of the Netherlands
- 41,543 km² (16,040 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 237 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Maryland (32,131 km²)
- Population (2025)
- The Netherlands 18,087,633; the US 341,784,857
- The Netherlands's rank by area
- 131st-largest of 197
How big the Netherlands is compared with the US
The US is about 237 times the size of the Netherlands: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 41,543 km² (16,040 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold the Netherlands about 195 times. The Netherlands is bigger than 9 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 41; the state closest in size is Maryland (32,131 km²). It is the 131st-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 31st-largest of 47 in Europe; the US is the third-largest.
The Netherlands has about 18 million people (2025), the 72nd-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 435 people per km² it is about 13 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 20th-most densely populated country.
The Netherlands and the US on a world map
The Netherlands reaches from 12°N to 54°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 Netherlands about 2.67 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 204 times the size of the Netherlands, when it is really about 237 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where the Netherlands is
The Netherlands's capital, Amsterdam, is 6,190 km (3,840 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. The Netherlands borders 2 countries: Belgium and Germany.
Netherlands and US in numbers
| Netherlands | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 41,543 km² 16,040 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 237× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 18,087,633 | 341,784,857 | The US has 19× more |
| Rank by area | 131st-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 435 | 35 | The Netherlands is 13× denser |
| Capital | Amsterdam | Washington, D.C. | 6,190 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 2 | 2 |
Netherlands compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is the Netherlands bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 237 times the size of the Netherlands: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 41,543 km² (16,040 sq mi).
How many times would the Netherlands fit into the US?
About 237 times (237). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 195 times.
Which US state is the Netherlands closest in size to?
Maryland (32,131 km²). The Netherlands is about 1.29 times the size of Maryland.
Is the Netherlands bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 17 times the size of the Netherlands.
Which has more people, the Netherlands or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 19 times the 18 million in the Netherlands.
Where does the Netherlands rank by size?
The Netherlands is the 131st-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 31st-largest in Europe. The US is the third-largest.
How far is the Netherlands from the US?
The Netherlands's capital, Amsterdam, is 6,190 km (3,840 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.