Botswana vs Spain

Botswana is 15% larger than Spain.

BotswanaSpainBotswana moved onto Spain · Equal-area projection
1.15×
Botswana is 1.15× the area of Spain.
BotswanaSpain
Area581,737 km²505,990 km²
Population2,562,12249,355,143
Density4.4 / km²98 / km²
CapitalGaboroneMadrid
RegionSouthern AfricaSouthern Europe
CoastlineLandlockedHas a coast
Neighbours33

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; Spain at 40° N is stretched to 1.71×. That difference is why Spain 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 Spain?
Yes. Botswana is 15% larger than Spain. Botswana covers 581,737 km² and Spain covers 505,990 km².
How many times does Spain fit into Botswana?
About 1.1 times: Botswana has 1.15× the area of Spain.
Why do Botswana and Spain 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 Spain about 1.71×. That is why Spain 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 Spain?
Spain: 49,355,143 people against 2,562,122. Density: Botswana 4.4 per km², Spain 98 per km².