Switzerland vs US size comparison
How Big Is Switzerland Compared to the US?
The US is about 238 times the size of Switzerland. Switzerland is about 6.3 times as densely populated. Drag Switzerland over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Switzerland vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Switzerland laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Switzerland
- 41,277 km² (15,937 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 238 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Maryland (32,131 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Switzerland 9,092,436; the US 341,784,857
- Switzerland's rank by area
- 132nd-largest of 197
How big Switzerland is compared with the US
The US is about 238 times the size of Switzerland: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 41,277 km² (15,937 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Switzerland about 196 times. Switzerland is bigger than 9 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 41; the state closest in size is Maryland (32,131 km²). It is the 132nd-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 32nd-largest of 47 in Europe; the US is the third-largest.
Switzerland has about 9 million people (2025), the 99th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 220 people per km² it is about 6.3 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 48th-most densely populated country.
Switzerland and the US on a world map
Switzerland reaches from 46°N to 48°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 Switzerland about 2.13 times its real size and the US about 2.3 times (Alaska far more than Florida). So the two look roughly the right size against each other on a normal world map; the map above shows them exactly.
Where Switzerland is
Switzerland's capital, Bern, is 6,600 km (4,100 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Switzerland borders 5 countries: Austria, Germany, France, Italy and Liechtenstein. It has no coast.
Switzerland and US in numbers
| Switzerland | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 41,277 km² 15,937 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 238× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 9,092,436 | 341,784,857 | The US has 38× more |
| Rank by area | 132nd-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 220 | 35 | Switzerland is 6.3× denser |
| Capital | Bern | Washington, D.C. | 6,600 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 5 | 2 |
Switzerland compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Switzerland bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 238 times the size of Switzerland: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 41,277 km² (15,937 sq mi).
How many times would Switzerland fit into the US?
About 238 times (238). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 196 times.
Which US state is Switzerland closest in size to?
Maryland (32,131 km²). Switzerland is about 1.28 times the size of Maryland.
Is Switzerland bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 17 times the size of Switzerland.
Which has more people, Switzerland or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 38 times the 9 million in Switzerland.
Where does Switzerland rank by size?
Switzerland is the 132nd-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 32nd-largest in Europe. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Switzerland from the US?
Switzerland's capital, Bern, is 6,600 km (4,100 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.