Belgium vs Chagos Islands

Belgium is 511 times larger than Chagos Islands. Chagos Islands would fit into Belgium about 511 times.

BelgiumChagos IslandsBelgium moved onto Chagos Islands · Equal-area projection
511×
Belgium is 511× the area of Chagos Islands.
BelgiumChagos Islands
Area30,688 km²60 km²
Population11,941,7813,000
Density389 / km²50 / km²
CapitalBrusselsDiego Garcia
RegionWestern EuropeSeven seas (open ocean)
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. Belgium sits at about 51°N and is stretched to 2.49× its true area; Chagos Islands at 7° S is stretched to 1.02×. That difference is why Belgium looks so much bigger than it is next to Chagos Islands. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is Belgium bigger than Chagos Islands?
Yes. Belgium is 511 times larger than Chagos Islands. Belgium covers 30,688 km² and Chagos Islands covers 60 km².
How many times does Chagos Islands fit into Belgium?
About 511 times: Belgium has 511× the area of Chagos Islands.
Why do Belgium and Chagos Islands look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Belgium is drawn about 2.49× its true area there and Chagos Islands about 1.02×. That is why Belgium looks so much bigger than it really is next to Chagos Islands. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Belgium or Chagos Islands?
Belgium: 11,941,781 people against 3,000. Density: Belgium 389 per km², Chagos Islands 50 per km².