Sierra Leone vs US size comparison
How Big Is Sierra Leone Compared to the US?
The US is about 137 times the size of Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone is about 3.5 times as densely populated. Drag Sierra Leone over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Sierra Leone vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Sierra Leone laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Sierra Leone
- 71,740 km² (27,699 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 137 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- West Virginia (62,755 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Sierra Leone 8,819,794; the US 341,784,857
- Sierra Leone's rank by area
- 117th-largest of 197
How big Sierra Leone is compared with the US
The US is about 137 times the size of Sierra Leone: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 71,740 km² (27,699 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Sierra Leone about 113 times. Sierra Leone is bigger than 10 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 40; the state closest in size is West Virginia (62,755 km²). It is the 117th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 40th-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Sierra Leone has about 9 million people (2025), the 101st-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 123 people per km² it is about 3.5 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 75th-most densely populated country.
Sierra Leone and the US on a world map
Sierra Leone reaches from 7°N to 10°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 Sierra Leone about 1.02 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 309 times the size of Sierra Leone, when it is really about 137 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Sierra Leone is
Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, is 7,160 km (4,450 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Sierra Leone borders 2 countries: Guinea and Liberia.
Sierra Leone and US in numbers
| Sierra Leone | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 71,740 km² 27,699 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 137× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 8,819,794 | 341,784,857 | The US has 39× more |
| Rank by area | 117th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 123 | 35 | Sierra Leone is 3.5× denser |
| Capital | Freetown | Washington, D.C. | 7,160 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 2 | 2 |
Sierra Leone compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Sierra Leone bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 137 times the size of Sierra Leone: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 71,740 km² (27,699 sq mi).
How many times would Sierra Leone fit into the US?
About 137 times (137). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 113 times.
Which US state is Sierra Leone closest in size to?
West Virginia (62,755 km²). Sierra Leone is about 1.14 times the size of West Virginia.
Is Sierra Leone bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 9.7 times the size of Sierra Leone.
Which has more people, Sierra Leone or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 39 times the 9 million in Sierra Leone.
Why does Sierra Leone 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 Sierra Leone, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 309 times the size of Sierra Leone, not 137.
Where does Sierra Leone rank by size?
Sierra Leone is the 117th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 40th-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Sierra Leone from the US?
Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, is 7,160 km (4,450 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.