Botswana vs Moldova

Botswana is 17.2 times larger than Moldova. Moldova would fit into Botswana about 17 times.

BotswanaMoldovaBotswana moved onto Moldova · Equal-area projection
17.2×
Botswana is 17.2× the area of Moldova.
BotswanaMoldova
Area581,737 km²33,844 km²
Population2,562,1222,360,527
Density4.4 / km²70 / km²
CapitalGaboroneChisinau
RegionSouthern AfricaEastern Europe
CoastlineLandlockedLandlocked
Neighbours32

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; Moldova at 47° N is stretched to 2.17×. That difference is why Moldova 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 Moldova?
Yes. Botswana is 17.2 times larger than Moldova. Botswana covers 581,737 km² and Moldova covers 33,844 km².
How many times does Moldova fit into Botswana?
About 17 times: Botswana has 17.2× the area of Moldova.
Why do Botswana and Moldova 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 Moldova about 2.17×. That is why Moldova 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 Moldova?
Botswana: 2,562,122 people against 2,360,527. Density: Botswana 4.4 per km², Moldova 70 per km².