Tuvalu vs US size comparison
How Big Is Tuvalu Compared to the US?
The US is about 380,000 times the size of Tuvalu. Tuvalu is about 11 times as densely populated. Drag Tuvalu over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Tuvalu vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Tuvalu laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Tuvalu
- 26 km² (10 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 380,000 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Rhode Island (4,001 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Tuvalu 9,492; the US 341,784,857
- Tuvalu's rank by area
- 194th-largest of 197
How big Tuvalu is compared with the US
The US is about 380,000 times the size of Tuvalu: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 26 km² (10 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Tuvalu about 310,000 times. Tuvalu is smaller than every US state, even Rhode Island. It is the 194th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 13th-largest of 14 in Oceania; the US is the third-largest.
Tuvalu has about 9,500 people (2025), the 196th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 365 people per km² it is about 11 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 25th-most densely populated country.
Tuvalu and the US on a world map
Tuvalu reaches from 9°S to 6°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 Tuvalu 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 850,000 times the size of Tuvalu, when it is really about 380,000 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Tuvalu is
Tuvalu's capital, Funafuti, is 11,790 km (7,330 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Tuvalu is an island country with no land borders.
Tuvalu and US in numbers
| Tuvalu | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 26 km² 10 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 378,212× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 9,492 | 341,784,857 | The US has 36,008× more |
| Rank by area | 194th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 365 | 35 | Tuvalu is 11× denser |
| Capital | Funafuti | Washington, D.C. | 11,790 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 0 | 2 |
Tuvalu compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Tuvalu bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 380,000 times the size of Tuvalu: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 26 km² (10 sq mi).
How many times would Tuvalu fit into the US?
About 380,000 times (378,212). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 310,000 times.
Which US state is Tuvalu closest in size to?
Rhode Island (4,001 km²). Rhode Island is about 154 times the size of Tuvalu.
Is Tuvalu bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 27,000 times the size of Tuvalu.
Which has more people, Tuvalu or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 36,000 times the 9,500 in Tuvalu.
Why does Tuvalu 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 Tuvalu, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 850,000 times the size of Tuvalu, not 380,000.
Where does Tuvalu rank by size?
Tuvalu is the 194th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 13th-largest in Oceania. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Tuvalu from the US?
Tuvalu's capital, Funafuti, is 11,790 km (7,330 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.