Rwanda vs US size comparison
How Big Is Rwanda Compared to the US?
The US is about 373 times the size of Rwanda. Rwanda is about 16 times as densely populated. Drag Rwanda over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Rwanda vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Rwanda laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Rwanda
- 26,338 km² (10,169 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 373 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Massachusetts (27,335 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Rwanda 14,569,341; the US 341,784,857
- Rwanda's rank by area
- 145th-largest of 197
How big Rwanda is compared with the US
The US is about 373 times the size of Rwanda: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 26,338 km² (10,169 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Rwanda about 307 times. Rwanda is bigger than 6 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 44; the state closest in size is Massachusetts (27,335 km²). It is the 145th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 46th-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Rwanda has about 15 million people (2025), the 77th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 553 people per km² it is about 16 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 15th-most densely populated country.
Rwanda and the US on a world map
Rwanda reaches from 3°S to 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 Rwanda 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 859 times the size of Rwanda, when it is really about 373 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Rwanda is
Rwanda's capital, Kigali, is 11,620 km (7,220 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Rwanda borders 4 countries: Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania and Uganda. It has no coast.
Rwanda and US in numbers
| Rwanda | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 26,338 km² 10,169 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 373× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 14,569,341 | 341,784,857 | The US has 23× more |
| Rank by area | 145th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 553 | 35 | Rwanda is 16× denser |
| Capital | Kigali | Washington, D.C. | 11,620 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 4 | 2 |
Rwanda compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Rwanda bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 373 times the size of Rwanda: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 26,338 km² (10,169 sq mi).
How many times would Rwanda fit into the US?
About 373 times (373). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 307 times.
Which US state is Rwanda closest in size to?
Massachusetts (27,335 km²). Rwanda is about the same size as Massachusetts.
Is Rwanda bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 26 times the size of Rwanda.
Which has more people, Rwanda or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 23 times the 15 million in Rwanda.
Why does Rwanda 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 Rwanda, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 859 times the size of Rwanda, not 373.
Where does Rwanda rank by size?
Rwanda is the 145th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 46th-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Rwanda from the US?
Rwanda's capital, Kigali, is 11,620 km (7,220 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.