Sudan vs US size comparison
How Big Is Sudan Compared to the US?
The US is about 5.3 times the size of Sudan. Drag Sudan over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Sudan vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Sudan laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Sudan
- 1,861,484 km² (718,723 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 5.3 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Alaska (1,724,220 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Sudan 51,662,147; the US 341,784,857
- Sudan's rank by area
- 15th-largest of 197
How big Sudan is compared with the US
The US is about 5.3 times the size of Sudan: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,861,484 km² (718,723 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Sudan about 4.3 times. Sudan is bigger than every US state, Alaska included. It is the 15th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the third-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Sudan has about 52 million people (2025), the 30th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 27.8 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 1.25 times as crowded.
Sudan and the US on a world map
Sudan reaches from 9°N to 22°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 Sudan about 1.09 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 11 times the size of Sudan, when it is really about 5.3 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Sudan is
Sudan's capital, Khartoum, is 10,540 km (6,550 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Sudan borders 7 countries: Central African Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan and Chad.
Sudan and US in numbers
| Sudan | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 1,861,484 km² 718,723 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 5.3× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 51,662,147 | 341,784,857 | The US has 6.6× more |
| Rank by area | 15th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 28 | 35 | The US is 1.25× denser |
| Capital | Khartoum | Washington, D.C. | 10,540 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 7 | 2 |
Sudan compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Sudan bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 5.3 times the size of Sudan: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 1,861,484 km² (718,723 sq mi).
How many times would Sudan fit into the US?
About 5.3 times (5.28). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 4.3 times.
Which US state is Sudan closest in size to?
Alaska (1,724,220 km²). Sudan is about the same size as Alaska.
Is Sudan bigger than Texas?
Yes. Sudan is about 2.68 times the size of Texas (695,668 km²).
Which has more people, Sudan or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 6.6 times the 52 million in Sudan.
Why does Sudan 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 Sudan, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 11 times the size of Sudan, not 5.3.
Where does Sudan rank by size?
Sudan is the 15th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the third-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Sudan from the US?
Sudan's capital, Khartoum, is 10,540 km (6,550 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.