Saudi Arabia vs US size comparison
How Big Is Saudi Arabia Compared to the US?
The US is about 4.6 times the size of Saudi Arabia. Drag Saudi Arabia over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Saudi Arabia vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Saudi Arabia laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Saudi Arabia
- 2,149,690 km² (830,000 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 4.6 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Alaska (1,724,220 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Saudi Arabia 36,973,555; the US 341,784,857
- Saudi Arabia's rank by area
- 12th-largest of 197
How big Saudi Arabia is compared with the US
The US is about 4.6 times the size of Saudi Arabia: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 2,149,690 km² (830,000 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Saudi Arabia about 3.8 times. Saudi Arabia is bigger than every US state, Alaska included. It is the 12th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the fourth-largest of 47 in Asia; the US is the third-largest.
Saudi Arabia has about 37 million people (2025), the 43rd-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 17.2 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 2.02 times as crowded.
Saudi Arabia and the US on a world map
Saudi Arabia reaches from 16°N to 32°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 Saudi Arabia about 1.21 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 8.7 times the size of Saudi Arabia, when it is really about 4.6 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Saudi Arabia is
Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, is 10,850 km (6,740 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Saudi Arabia borders 7 countries: UAE, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Yemen.
Saudi Arabia and US in numbers
| Saudi Arabia | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 2,149,690 km² 830,000 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 4.6× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 36,973,555 | 341,784,857 | The US has 9.2× more |
| Rank by area | 12th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 17 | 35 | The US is 2.02× denser |
| Capital | Riyadh | Washington, D.C. | 10,850 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 7 | 2 |
Saudi Arabia compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Saudi Arabia bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 4.6 times the size of Saudi Arabia: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 2,149,690 km² (830,000 sq mi).
How many times would Saudi Arabia fit into the US?
About 4.6 times (4.57). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 3.8 times.
Which US state is Saudi Arabia closest in size to?
Alaska (1,724,220 km²). Saudi Arabia is about 1.25 times the size of Alaska.
Is Saudi Arabia bigger than Texas?
Yes. Saudi Arabia is about 3 times the size of Texas (695,668 km²).
Which has more people, Saudi Arabia or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 9.2 times the 37 million in Saudi Arabia.
Why does Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 8.7 times the size of Saudi Arabia, not 4.6.
Where does Saudi Arabia rank by size?
Saudi Arabia is the 12th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the fourth-largest in Asia. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Saudi Arabia from the US?
Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, is 10,850 km (6,740 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.