Niger vs US size comparison
How Big Is Niger Compared to the US?
The US is about 7.8 times the size of Niger. Drag Niger over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Niger vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Niger laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Niger
- 1,267,000 km² (489,191 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 7.8 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Alaska (1,724,220 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Niger 27,917,831; the US 341,784,857
- Niger's rank by area
- 21st-largest of 197
How big Niger is compared with the US
The US is about 7.8 times the size of Niger: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,267,000 km² (489,191 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Niger about 6.4 times. Niger is bigger than every US state except Alaska. It is the 21st-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the sixth-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Niger has about 28 million people (2025), the 54th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 22 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 1.58 times as crowded.
Niger and the US on a world map
Niger reaches from 12°N to 24°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 Niger about 1.1 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 16 times the size of Niger, when it is really about 7.8 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Niger is
Niger's capital, Niamey, is 8,140 km (5,060 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Niger borders 7 countries: Burkina Faso, Benin, Algeria, Libya, Mali, Nigeria and Chad. It has no coast.
Niger and US in numbers
| Niger | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 1,267,000 km² 489,191 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 7.8× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 27,917,831 | 341,784,857 | The US has 12× more |
| Rank by area | 21st-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 22 | 35 | The US is 1.58× denser |
| Capital | Niamey | Washington, D.C. | 8,140 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 7 | 2 |
Niger compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Niger bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 7.8 times the size of Niger: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,267,000 km² (489,191 sq mi).
How many times would Niger fit into the US?
About 7.8 times (7.76). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 6.4 times.
Which US state is Niger closest in size to?
Alaska (1,724,220 km²). Alaska is about 1.36 times the size of Niger.
Is Niger bigger than Texas?
Yes. Niger is about 1.82 times the size of Texas (695,668 km²).
Which has more people, Niger or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 12 times the 28 million in Niger.
Why does Niger 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 Niger, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 16 times the size of Niger, not 7.8.
Where does Niger rank by size?
Niger is the 21st-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the sixth-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Niger from the US?
Niger's capital, Niamey, is 8,140 km (5,060 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.