Peru vs US size comparison
How Big Is Peru Compared to the US?
The US is about 7.7 times the size of Peru. Drag Peru over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Peru vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Peru laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Peru
- 1,285,216 km² (496,224 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 7.7 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Alaska (1,724,220 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Peru 34,576,665; the US 341,784,857
- Peru's rank by area
- 19th-largest of 197
How big Peru is compared with the US
The US is about 7.7 times the size of Peru: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,285,216 km² (496,224 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Peru about 6.3 times. Peru is bigger than every US state except Alaska. It is the 19th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the third-largest of 12 in South America; the US is the third-largest.
Peru has about 35 million people (2025), the 48th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 26.9 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 1.29 times as crowded.
Peru and the US on a world map
Peru reaches from 18°S to 0°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 Peru about 1.03 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 17 times the size of Peru, when it is really about 7.7 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Peru is
Peru's capital, Lima, is 5,660 km (3,520 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Peru borders 5 countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador.
Peru and US in numbers
| Peru | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 1,285,216 km² 496,224 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 7.7× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 34,576,665 | 341,784,857 | The US has 9.9× more |
| Rank by area | 19th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 27 | 35 | The US is 1.29× denser |
| Capital | Lima | Washington, D.C. | 5,660 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 5 | 2 |
Peru compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Peru bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 7.7 times the size of Peru: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,285,216 km² (496,224 sq mi).
How many times would Peru fit into the US?
About 7.7 times (7.65). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 6.3 times.
Which US state is Peru closest in size to?
Alaska (1,724,220 km²). Alaska is about 1.34 times the size of Peru.
Is Peru bigger than Texas?
Yes. Peru is about 1.85 times the size of Texas (695,668 km²).
Which has more people, Peru or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 9.9 times the 35 million in Peru.
Why does Peru 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 Peru, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 17 times the size of Peru, not 7.7.
Where does Peru rank by size?
Peru is the 19th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the third-largest in South America. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Peru from the US?
Peru's capital, Lima, is 5,660 km (3,520 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.