Albania vs São Tomé and Principe

Albania is 28.7 times larger than São Tomé and Principe. São Tomé and Principe would fit into Albania about 29 times.

AlbaniaSão Tomé and PrincipeAlbania moved onto São Tomé and Principe · Equal-area projection
28.7×
Albania is 28.7× the area of São Tomé and Principe.
AlbaniaSão Tomé and Principe
Area28,748 km²1,001 km²
Population2,349,580240,254
Density82 / km²240 / km²
CapitalTiraneSao Tome
RegionSouthern EuropeMiddle Africa
CoastlineHas a coastHas a coast
Neighbours40

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; São Tomé and Principe at 0° N is stretched to 1.0×. That difference is why Albania looks so much bigger than it is next to São Tomé and Principe. 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 São Tomé and Principe?
Yes. Albania is 28.7 times larger than São Tomé and Principe. Albania covers 28,748 km² and São Tomé and Principe covers 1,001 km².
How many times does São Tomé and Principe fit into Albania?
About 29 times: Albania has 28.7× the area of São Tomé and Principe.
Why do Albania and São Tomé and Principe 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 São Tomé and Principe about 1.0×. That is why Albania looks so much bigger than it really is next to São Tomé and Principe. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Albania or São Tomé and Principe?
Albania: 2,349,580 people against 240,254. Density: Albania 82 per km², São Tomé and Principe 240 per km².