Belgium vs Gambia

Belgium is 2.72 times larger than Gambia. Gambia would fit into Belgium about 2.7 times.

BelgiumGambiaBelgium moved onto Gambia · Equal-area projection
2.72×
Belgium is 2.72× the area of Gambia.
BelgiumGambia
Area30,688 km²11,300 km²
Population11,941,7812,822,093
Density389 / km²250 / km²
CapitalBrusselsBanjul
RegionWestern EuropeWestern Africa
CoastlineHas a coastHas a coast
Neighbours41

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; Gambia at 13° N is stretched to 1.06×. That difference is why Belgium looks so much bigger than it is next to Gambia. 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 Gambia?
Yes. Belgium is 2.72 times larger than Gambia. Belgium covers 30,688 km² and Gambia covers 11,300 km².
How many times does Gambia fit into Belgium?
About 2.7 times: Belgium has 2.72× the area of Gambia.
Why do Belgium and Gambia 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 Gambia about 1.06×. That is why Belgium looks so much bigger than it really is next to Gambia. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Belgium or Gambia?
Belgium: 11,941,781 people against 2,822,093. Density: Belgium 389 per km², Gambia 250 per km².