Which is bigger: South Sudan or Afghanistan?

South Sudan is larger (658,841 km²) — about 1.0 times the size of Afghanistan (652,864 km²).

Why do South Sudan and Afghanistan 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 South Sudan and Afghanistan are distorted compared to their true land area.

South Sudan vs Afghanistan Size Comparison

Discover the true size difference between South Sudan and Afghanistan. Compare their overlaid silhouettes and learn how the Mercator projection distorts scale.