Belgium vs Solomon Islands

Belgium is 8% larger than Solomon Islands.

BelgiumSolomon IslandsBelgium moved onto Solomon Islands · Equal-area projection
1.08×
Belgium is 1.08× the area of Solomon Islands.
BelgiumSolomon Islands
Area30,688 km²28,400 km²
Population11,941,781838,645
Density389 / km²30 / km²
CapitalBrusselsHoniara
RegionWestern EuropeMelanesia
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; Solomon Islands at 9° S is stretched to 1.02×. That difference is why Belgium looks so much bigger than it is next to Solomon 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 Solomon Islands?
Yes. Belgium is 8% larger than Solomon Islands. Belgium covers 30,688 km² and Solomon Islands covers 28,400 km².
How many times does Solomon Islands fit into Belgium?
About 1.1 times: Belgium has 1.08× the area of Solomon Islands.
Why do Belgium and Solomon 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 Solomon Islands about 1.02×. That is why Belgium looks so much bigger than it really is next to Solomon Islands. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Belgium or Solomon Islands?
Belgium: 11,941,781 people against 838,645. Density: Belgium 389 per km², Solomon Islands 30 per km².