Norway vs US size comparison
How Big Is Norway Compared to the US?
The US is about 30 times the size of Norway. Drag Norway over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Norway vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Norway laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Norway
- 323,802 km² (125,021 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 30 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- New Mexico (314,925 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Norway 5,610,870; the US 341,784,857
- Norway's rank by area
- 67th-largest of 197
How big Norway is compared with the US
The US is about 30 times the size of Norway: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 323,802 km² (125,021 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Norway about 25 times. Norway is bigger than 46 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 4; the state closest in size is New Mexico (314,925 km²). It is the 67th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the ninth-largest of 47 in Europe; the US is the third-largest.
Norway has about 6 million people (2025), the 118th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 17.3 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 2.01 times as crowded.
Norway and the US on a world map
Norway reaches from 54°S to 81°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 Norway about 9 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 7.8 times the size of Norway, when it is really about 30 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Norway is
Norway's capital, Oslo, is 6,230 km (3,870 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Norway borders 3 countries: Finland, Russia and Sweden.
Norway and US in numbers
| Norway | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 323,802 km² 125,021 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 30× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 5,610,870 | 341,784,857 | The US has 61× more |
| Rank by area | 67th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 17 | 35 | The US is 2.01× denser |
| Capital | Oslo | Washington, D.C. | 6,230 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 3 | 2 |
Norway compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Norway bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 30 times the size of Norway: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 323,802 km² (125,021 sq mi).
How many times would Norway fit into the US?
About 30 times (30.37). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 25 times.
Which US state is Norway closest in size to?
New Mexico (314,925 km²). Norway is about the same size as New Mexico.
Is Norway bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 2.15 times the size of Norway.
Which has more people, Norway or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 61 times the 6 million in Norway.
Why does the US look so big on a world map?
Most world maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches places more the further they are from the Equator. Norway is further from the Equator than the US, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 7.8 times the size of Norway, not 30.
Where does Norway rank by size?
Norway is the 67th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the ninth-largest in Europe. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Norway from the US?
Norway's capital, Oslo, is 6,230 km (3,870 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.