Tanzania vs US size comparison
How Big Is Tanzania Compared to the US?
The US is about 10 times the size of Tanzania. Tanzania is about 2.14 times as densely populated. Drag Tanzania over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Tanzania vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Tanzania laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Tanzania
- 947,300 km² (365,754 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 10 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Texas (695,668 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Tanzania 70,545,865; the US 341,784,857
- Tanzania's rank by area
- 30th-largest of 197
How big Tanzania is compared with the US
The US is about 10 times the size of Tanzania: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 947,300 km² (365,754 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Tanzania about 8.5 times. Tanzania is bigger than every US state except Alaska. It is the 30th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 13th-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Tanzania has about 71 million people (2025), the 21st-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 74 people per km² it is about 2.14 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 114th-most densely populated country.
Tanzania and the US on a world map
Tanzania reaches from 12°S to 1°S; 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 Tanzania about 1.01 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 24 times the size of Tanzania, when it is really about 10 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Tanzania is
Tanzania's capital, Dodoma, is 12,400 km (7,710 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Tanzania borders 8 countries: Burundi, DR Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia.
Tanzania and US in numbers
| Tanzania | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 947,300 km² 365,754 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 10× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 70,545,865 | 341,784,857 | The US has 4.8× more |
| Rank by area | 30th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 74 | 35 | Tanzania is 2.14× denser |
| Capital | Dodoma | Washington, D.C. | 12,400 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 8 | 2 |
Tanzania compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Tanzania bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 10 times the size of Tanzania: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 947,300 km² (365,754 sq mi).
How many times would Tanzania fit into the US?
About 10 times (10.38). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 8.5 times.
Which US state is Tanzania closest in size to?
Texas (695,668 km²). Tanzania is about 1.36 times the size of Texas.
Which has more people, Tanzania or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 4.8 times the 71 million in Tanzania.
Why does Tanzania 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 Tanzania, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 24 times the size of Tanzania, not 10.
Where does Tanzania rank by size?
Tanzania is the 30th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 13th-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Tanzania from the US?
Tanzania's capital, Dodoma, is 12,400 km (7,710 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.