Taiwan vs US size comparison
How Big Is Taiwan Compared to the US?
The US is about 273 times the size of Taiwan. Taiwan is about 19 times as densely populated. Drag Taiwan over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Taiwan vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Taiwan laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Taiwan
- 35,980 km² (13,892 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 273 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Maryland (32,131 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Taiwan 23,400,220; the US 341,784,857
- Taiwan's rank by area
- 135th-largest of 197
How big Taiwan is compared with the US
The US is about 273 times the size of Taiwan: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 35,980 km² (13,892 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Taiwan about 225 times. Taiwan 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 135th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 36th-largest of 47 in Asia; the US is the third-largest.
Taiwan has about 23 million people (2025), the 60th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 650 people per km² it is about 19 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the tenth-most densely populated country.
Taiwan and the US on a world map
Taiwan reaches from 22°N to 25°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 Taiwan about 1.19 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 528 times the size of Taiwan, when it is really about 273 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Taiwan is
Taiwan's capital, Taipei, is 12,650 km (7,860 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Taiwan is an island country with no land borders.
Taiwan and US in numbers
| Taiwan | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 35,980 km² 13,892 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 273× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 23,400,220 | 341,784,857 | The US has 15× more |
| Rank by area | 135th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 650 | 35 | Taiwan is 19× denser |
| Capital | Taipei | Washington, D.C. | 12,650 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 0 | 2 |
Taiwan compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Taiwan bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 273 times the size of Taiwan: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 35,980 km² (13,892 sq mi).
How many times would Taiwan fit into the US?
About 273 times (273). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 225 times.
Which US state is Taiwan closest in size to?
Maryland (32,131 km²). Taiwan is about 1.12 times the size of Maryland.
Is Taiwan bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 19 times the size of Taiwan.
Which has more people, Taiwan or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 15 times the 23 million in Taiwan.
Why does Taiwan 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 Taiwan, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 528 times the size of Taiwan, not 273.
Where does Taiwan rank by size?
Taiwan is the 135th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 36th-largest in Asia. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Taiwan from the US?
Taiwan's capital, Taipei, is 12,650 km (7,860 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.