Belgium vs Panama

Panama is 2.42 times larger than Belgium. Belgium would fit into Panama about 2.4 times.

BelgiumPanamaBelgium moved onto Panama · Equal-area projection
0.41×
Belgium is 0.41× the area of Panama. Put the other way, Panama is 2.42× the size of Belgium.
BelgiumPanama
Area30,688 km²74,177 km²
Population11,941,7814,571,189
Density389 / km²62 / km²
CapitalBrusselsPanama City
RegionWestern 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. Belgium sits at about 51°N and is stretched to 2.49× its true area; Panama at 9° N is stretched to 1.02×. That difference is why Belgium 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 Belgium bigger than Panama?
No. Belgium is 2.42 times smaller than Panama. Belgium covers 30,688 km² and Panama covers 74,177 km².
How many times does Belgium fit into Panama?
About 2.4 times: Panama has 2.42× the area of Belgium.
Why do Belgium and Panama 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 Panama about 1.02×. That is why Belgium 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, Belgium or Panama?
Belgium: 11,941,781 people against 4,571,189. Density: Belgium 389 per km², Panama 62 per km².