Botswana vs Latvia

Botswana is 9.01 times larger than Latvia. Latvia would fit into Botswana about 9.0 times.

BotswanaLatviaBotswana moved onto Latvia · Equal-area projection
9.01×
Botswana is 9.01× the area of Latvia.
BotswanaLatvia
Area581,737 km²64,594 km²
Population2,562,1221,847,785
Density4.4 / km²29 / km²
CapitalGaboroneRiga
RegionSouthern AfricaNorthern Europe
CoastlineLandlockedHas a coast
Neighbours34

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. Botswana sits at about 22°S and is stretched to 1.17× 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 Botswana. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is Botswana bigger than Latvia?
Yes. Botswana is 9.01 times larger than Latvia. Botswana covers 581,737 km² and Latvia covers 64,594 km².
How many times does Latvia fit into Botswana?
About 9.0 times: Botswana has 9.01× the area of Latvia.
Why do Botswana and Latvia look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Botswana is drawn about 1.17× its true area there and Latvia about 3.35×. That is why Latvia looks so much bigger than it really is next to Botswana. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Botswana or Latvia?
Botswana: 2,562,122 people against 1,847,785. Density: Botswana 4.4 per km², Latvia 29 per km².