UAE vs US size comparison
How Big Is the UAE Compared to the US?
The US is about 118 times the size of the UAE. The UAE is about 4 times as densely populated. Drag the UAE over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable UAE vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: the UAE laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of the UAE
- 83,600 km² (32,278 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 118 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- South Carolina (82,940 km²)
- Population (2025)
- The UAE 11,513,149; the US 341,784,857
- The UAE's rank by area
- 113th-largest of 197
How big the UAE is compared with the US
The US is about 118 times the size of the UAE: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 83,600 km² (32,278 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold the UAE about 97 times. The UAE is bigger than 11 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 39; the state closest in size is South Carolina (82,940 km²). It is the 113th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 32nd-largest of 47 in Asia; the US is the third-largest.
The UAE has about 12 million people (2025), the 86th-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 138 people per km² it is about 4 times as crowded as the US (35 per km²), the 70th-most densely populated country.
The UAE and the US on a world map
The UAE reaches from 23°N to 26°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 the UAE about 1.2 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 225 times the size of the UAE, when it is really about 118 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where the UAE is
The UAE's capital, Abu Dhabi, is 11,350 km (7,050 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. The UAE borders 2 countries: Oman and Saudi Arabia.
UAE and US in numbers
| UAE | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 83,600 km² 32,278 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 118× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 11,513,149 | 341,784,857 | The US has 30× more |
| Rank by area | 113th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 138 | 35 | The UAE is 4× denser |
| Capital | Abu Dhabi | Washington, D.C. | 11,350 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 2 | 2 |
UAE compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is the UAE bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 118 times the size of the UAE: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 83,600 km² (32,278 sq mi).
How many times would the UAE fit into the US?
About 118 times (118). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 97 times.
Which US state is the UAE closest in size to?
South Carolina (82,940 km²). The UAE is about the same size as South Carolina.
Is the UAE bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 8.3 times the size of the UAE.
Which has more people, the UAE or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 30 times the 12 million in the UAE.
Why does the UAE 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 the UAE, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 225 times the size of the UAE, not 118.
Where does the UAE rank by size?
The UAE is the 113th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 32nd-largest in Asia. The US is the third-largest.
How far is the UAE from the US?
The UAE's capital, Abu Dhabi, is 11,350 km (7,050 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.