Uruguay vs US size comparison
How Big Is Uruguay Compared to the US?
The US is about 56 times the size of Uruguay. Drag Uruguay over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Uruguay vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Uruguay laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Uruguay
- 176,215 km² (68,037 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 56 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Missouri (180,540 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Uruguay 3,384,688; the US 341,784,857
- Uruguay's rank by area
- 89th-largest of 197
How big Uruguay is compared with the US
The US is about 56 times the size of Uruguay: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 176,215 km² (68,037 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Uruguay about 46 times. Uruguay is bigger than 28 of the 50 US states and smaller than the other 22; the state closest in size is Missouri (180,540 km²). It is the 89th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 11th-largest of 12 in South America; the US is the third-largest.
Uruguay has about 3 million people (2025), the 133rd-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 19.2 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 1.81 times as crowded.
Uruguay and the US on a world map
Uruguay reaches from 35°S to 30°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 Uruguay about 1.42 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 90 times the size of Uruguay, when it is really about 56 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Uruguay is
Uruguay's capital, Montevideo, is 8,480 km (5,270 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Uruguay borders 2 countries: Argentina and Brazil.
Uruguay and US in numbers
| Uruguay | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 176,215 km² 68,037 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 56× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 3,384,688 | 341,784,857 | The US has 101× more |
| Rank by area | 89th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 19 | 35 | The US is 1.81× denser |
| Capital | Montevideo | Washington, D.C. | 8,480 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 2 | 2 |
Uruguay compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Uruguay bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 56 times the size of Uruguay: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 176,215 km² (68,037 sq mi).
How many times would Uruguay fit into the US?
About 56 times (55.80). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 46 times.
Which US state is Uruguay closest in size to?
Missouri (180,540 km²). Uruguay is about the same size as Missouri.
Is Uruguay bigger than Texas?
No. Texas is about 3.9 times the size of Uruguay.
Which has more people, Uruguay or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 101 times the 3 million in Uruguay.
Why does Uruguay 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 Uruguay, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 90 times the size of Uruguay, not 56.
Where does Uruguay rank by size?
Uruguay is the 89th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 11th-largest in South America. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Uruguay from the US?
Uruguay's capital, Montevideo, is 8,480 km (5,270 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.