Albania vs Panama

Panama is 2.58 times larger than Albania. Albania would fit into Panama about 2.6 times.

AlbaniaPanamaAlbania moved onto Panama · Equal-area projection
0.39×
Albania is 0.39× the area of Panama. Put the other way, Panama is 2.58× the size of Albania.
AlbaniaPanama
Area28,748 km²74,177 km²
Population2,349,5804,571,189
Density82 / km²62 / km²
CapitalTiranePanama City
RegionSouthern EuropeCentral America
CoastlineHas a coastHas a coast
Neighbours42

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. Albania sits at about 41°N and is stretched to 1.76× its true area; Panama at 9° N is stretched to 1.02×. That difference is why Albania looks so much bigger than it is next to Panama. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is Albania bigger than Panama?
No. Albania is 2.58 times smaller than Panama. Albania covers 28,748 km² and Panama covers 74,177 km².
How many times does Albania fit into Panama?
About 2.6 times: Panama has 2.58× the area of Albania.
Why do Albania and Panama look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Albania is drawn about 1.76× its true area there and Panama about 1.02×. That is why Albania looks so much bigger than it really is next to Panama. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Albania or Panama?
Panama: 4,571,189 people against 2,349,580. Density: Albania 82 per km², Panama 62 per km².