São Tomé and Príncipe vs US size comparison
How Big Is São Tomé and Príncipe Compared to the US?
The US is about 10,000 times the size of São Tomé and Príncipe. São Tomé and Príncipe is about 7.2 times as densely populated. Drag São Tomé and Príncipe over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable São Tomé and Príncipe vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: São Tomé and Príncipe laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of São Tomé and Príncipe
- 964 km² (372 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 10,000 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Rhode Island (4,001 km²)
- Population (2025)
- São Tomé and Príncipe 240,254; the US 341,784,857
- São Tomé and Príncipe's rank by area
- 173rd-largest of 197
How big São Tomé and Príncipe is compared with the US
The US is about 10,000 times the size of São Tomé and Príncipe: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 964 km² (372 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold São Tomé and Príncipe about 8,399 times. São Tomé and Príncipe is smaller than every US state, even Rhode Island. It is the 173rd-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 53rd-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
São Tomé and Príncipe has about 240,300 people (2025), the 177th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 249 people per km² it is about 7.2 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 44th-most densely populated country.
São Tomé and Príncipe and the US on a world map
São Tomé and Príncipe reaches from 0°N to 2°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 São Tomé and Príncipe 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 23,000 times the size of São Tomé and Príncipe, when it is really about 10,000 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where São Tomé and Príncipe is
São Tomé and Príncipe's capital, São Tomé, is 9,450 km (5,870 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. São Tomé and Príncipe is an island country with no land borders.
São Tomé and Príncipe and US in numbers
| São Tomé and Príncipe | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 964 km² 372 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 10,201× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 240,254 | 341,784,857 | The US has 1,423× more |
| Rank by area | 173rd-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 249 | 35 | São Tomé and Príncipe is 7.2× denser |
| Capital | São Tomé | Washington, D.C. | 9,450 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 0 | 2 |
São Tomé and Príncipe compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is São Tomé and Príncipe bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 10,000 times the size of São Tomé and Príncipe: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 964 km² (372 sq mi).
How many times would São Tomé and Príncipe fit into the US?
About 10,000 times (10,201). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 8,399 times.
Which US state is São Tomé and Príncipe closest in size to?
Rhode Island (4,001 km²). Rhode Island is about 4.2 times the size of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Is São Tomé and Príncipe bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 722 times the size of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Which has more people, São Tomé and Príncipe or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 1,423 times the 240,300 in São Tomé and Príncipe.
Why does São Tomé and Príncipe 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 São Tomé and Príncipe, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 23,000 times the size of São Tomé and Príncipe, not 10,000.
Where does São Tomé and Príncipe rank by size?
São Tomé and Príncipe is the 173rd-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 53rd-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is São Tomé and Príncipe from the US?
São Tomé and Príncipe's capital, São Tomé, is 9,450 km (5,870 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.