Which is bigger: Malawi or Eritrea?

Malawi is larger (118,484 km²) — about 1.0 times the size of Eritrea (117,600 km²).

Why do Malawi and Eritrea 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 Malawi and Eritrea are distorted compared to their true land area.

Malawi vs Eritrea Size Comparison

Discover the true size difference between Malawi and Eritrea. Compare their overlaid silhouettes and learn how the Mercator projection distorts scale.

Direct Silhouette Overlay (same scale)

Comparison of shapes at the exact same, real geographic scale. Click or tap and drag either silhouette to adjust positioning manually.

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Malawi ↗

Surface Area118,484 km²

Population18,143,315

TypeCountry

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Eritrea ↗

Surface Area117,600 km²

Population6,213,972

TypeCountry

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