Zambia vs US size comparison
How Big Is Zambia Compared to the US?
The US is about 13 times the size of Zambia. Drag Zambia over the US below to see the difference at true size.
Hawaii and the territories are not drawn.
Printable Zambia vs US size comparison
Free to print or share: Zambia laid over the US at true size, with both areas, on one landscape A4 or US Letter page.
Key facts
- Area of Zambia
- 752,618 km² (290,587 sq mi)
- Area of the US
- 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi)
- Size difference
- The US is about 13 times bigger
- Closest US state in size
- Texas (695,668 km²)
- Population (2025)
- Zambia 21,913,874; the US 341,784,857
- Zambia's rank by area
- 38th-largest of 197
How big Zambia is compared with the US
The US is about 13 times the size of Zambia: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 752,618 km² (290,587 sq mi). Even the 48 contiguous states alone, without Alaska, could hold Zambia about 11 times. Zambia is bigger than every US state except Alaska. It is the 38th-largest of the world's 197 countries, and the 17th-largest of 54 in Africa; the US is the third-largest.
Zambia has about 22 million people (2025), the 62nd-most populous country in the world, against 342 million in the US. With 29.1 people per km² it is far emptier than the US (35 per km²): the US is about 1.19 times as crowded.
Zambia and the US on a world map
Zambia reaches from 18°S to 8°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 Zambia about 1.06 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 28 times the size of Zambia, when it is really about 13 times. The equal-area map above shows the real difference.
Where Zambia is
Zambia's capital, Lusaka, is 12,390 km (7,700 miles) from Washington, D.C. as the crow flies. Zambia borders 8 countries: Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. It has no coast.
Zambia and US in numbers
| Zambia | US | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 752,618 km² 290,587 sq mi | 9,833,517 km² 3,796,741 sq mi | The US is 13× bigger |
| Population (2025) | 21,913,874 | 341,784,857 | The US has 16× more |
| Rank by area | 38th-largest | Third-largest | of 197 countries |
| People per km² | 29 | 35 | The US is 1.19× denser |
| Capital | Lusaka | Washington, D.C. | 12,390 km apart |
| Neighbouring countries | 8 | 2 |
Zambia compared with US states
Frequently asked questions
Is Zambia bigger than the US?
No. The US is about 13 times the size of Zambia: 9,833,517 km² (3,796,741 sq mi) against 752,618 km² (290,587 sq mi).
How many times would Zambia fit into the US?
About 13 times (13.07). Into the 48 contiguous states alone, about 11 times.
Which US state is Zambia closest in size to?
Texas (695,668 km²). Zambia is about the same size as Texas.
Which has more people, Zambia or the US?
The US: about 342 million people in 2025, about 16 times the 22 million in Zambia.
Why does Zambia 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 Zambia, so it is stretched more. On a Mercator map the US looks about 28 times the size of Zambia, not 13.
Where does Zambia rank by size?
Zambia is the 38th-largest of the world's 197 countries by total area and the 17th-largest in Africa. The US is the third-largest.
How far is Zambia from the US?
Zambia's capital, Lusaka, is 12,390 km (7,700 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.