America vs Australia Size: How Big Is Each Country Really?
When people compare America size vs Australia size, the answer can surprise you. On a map, both look huge. But which one is actually bigger? And by how much?
Let’s break it down in simple terms so it’s easy to understand.
United States Size
The United States (often called America or USA) is one of the largest countries in the world.
Total Area of the United States:
- 3.8 million square miles
- Or 9.8 million square kilometers
- Ranked 3rd or 4th largest country in the world (depending on how land and water are counted)
The USA stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It also includes Alaska in the far north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.
It has:
- 50 states
- Many climate zones (cold Alaska, warm Florida, deserts in Arizona, snow in Colorado)
It’s a very wide country with different landscapes like mountains, plains, forests, and beaches.
Australia Size
Now let’s look at Australia.
Australia is both a country and a continent. It is the largest country in Oceania.
Total Area of Australia:
- 2.97 million square miles
- Or 7.7 million square kilometers
- Ranked 6th largest country in the world
Australia is mostly dry land. A large part of the country is desert, known as the Outback. Most people live near the coast.
It has:
- 6 states
- 2 main territories
- Famous cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane
America Size vs Australia Size (Quick Comparison)
| Feature | United States | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Total Area (sq miles) | 3.8 million | 2.97 million |
| Total Area (sq km) | 9.8 million | 7.7 million |
| World Rank | 3rd/4th | 6th |
| Population | 330+ million | 26+ million |
So, Which Is Bigger?
The United States is bigger than Australia.
To be exact:
The USA is about 1.28 times larger than Australia.
The USA has about 2 million more square kilometers of land.
That’s a big difference!
How Big Is the Difference?
Let’s look at it in simple numbers.
If you placed Australia inside the United States, it would fit — and there would still be extra space left over about the size of:
- Texas
- California
- Or several mid-sized states combined
That shows how much bigger America is.
What About Mainland USA Only?
Sometimes people ask:
What if we remove Alaska?
Alaska is huge. It adds a lot to America’s total size.
If you only count the “mainland” USA (the lower 48 states), it is about:
- 3.1 million square miles
- Or 8 million square kilometers
Even then, the mainland USA is still slightly bigger than Australia.
So no matter how you measure it, America is larger.
Population Difference
Size is one thing, but population is another big difference.
- USA population: 330+ million people
- Australia population: 26+ million people
Even though Australia is large in land, it has a much smaller population.
That means:
- Australia has more empty space
- The USA is much more crowded
Australia has wide open land and deserts, while the USA has many large cities and developed areas.
Climate and Land Type Comparison
United States:
- Forests in the north
- Deserts in the southwest
- Snowy mountains
- Tropical areas in Florida and Hawaii
Australia:
- Large desert areas (Outback)
- Tropical north
- Mild south
- Most people live near the coast
Australia has more dry and desert land compared to the USA.
Why Do They Look Similar in Size on Maps?
Sometimes on world maps, Australia looks almost the same size as America.
That’s because:
- Many maps are distorted.
- The Mercator projection (a common world map style) changes how countries look.
- Countries closer to the poles look larger than they really are.
Since the USA stretches further north (especially Alaska), it may look bigger than it actually is compared to Australia.
But even with correct measurements, the USA is still larger.
Final Answer: America Size vs Australia Size
Here’s the simple truth:
✔ The United States is bigger than Australia
✔ The USA is about 1.3 times larger
✔ The USA has much more population
✔ Australia has more open and empty land
Both countries are huge compared to most nations in the world.
Quick Summary
- USA: 9.8 million sq km
- Australia: 7.7 million sq km
- USA is about 2 million sq km larger
- Australia has fewer people
- USA ranks higher in world size rankings
