Which is bigger: Belgium or Lesotho?

Belgium is larger (30,528 km²) — about 1.0 times the size of Lesotho (30,360 km²).

Why do Belgium and Lesotho look different on the map than in reality?

The common Mercator projection enlarges areas the farther they lie from the equator, so the on-map size proportions of Belgium and Lesotho are distorted compared to their true land area.

02Act II · 1:1 studioChange pair ↙

Belgium×Lesotho

Put Belgium and Lesotho on the same scale. Drag, separate, and see what the Mercator map hides.

Reverse order ⇄

True-size comparison

Same scale. Real difference.

Drag the outlines to overlap them, or place them side by side.

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Belgium ↗

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Total surface area30,528 km²ed. 2024

Population11,941,7812025

Land area30,494 km²2023

TypeCountry

Lesotho ↗

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Total surface area30,360 km²2023

Population2,363,3252025

Land area30,360 km²2023

TypeCountry