Benin vs Latvia

Benin is 78% larger than Latvia. Latvia would fit into Benin about 1.8 times.

BeninLatviaBenin moved onto Latvia · Equal-area projection
1.78×
Benin is 1.78× the area of Latvia.
BeninLatvia
Area114,763 km²64,594 km²
Population14,814,4601,847,785
Density129 / km²29 / km²
CapitalPorto-NovoRiga
RegionWestern AfricaNorthern Europe
CoastlineHas a coastHas a coast
Neighbours44

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. Benin sits at about 10°N and is stretched to 1.03× its true area; Latvia at 57° N is stretched to 3.35×. That difference is why Latvia looks so much bigger than it is next to Benin. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is Benin bigger than Latvia?
Yes. Benin is 78% larger than Latvia. Benin covers 114,763 km² and Latvia covers 64,594 km².
How many times does Latvia fit into Benin?
About 1.8 times: Benin has 1.78× the area of Latvia.
Why do Benin and Latvia look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Benin is drawn about 1.03× its true area there and Latvia about 3.35×. That is why Latvia looks so much bigger than it really is next to Benin. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Benin or Latvia?
Benin: 14,814,460 people against 1,847,785. Density: Benin 129 per km², Latvia 29 per km².