Bulgaria vs São Tomé and Principe

Bulgaria is 111 times larger than São Tomé and Principe. São Tomé and Principe would fit into Bulgaria about 111 times.

BulgariaSão Tomé and PrincipeBulgaria moved onto São Tomé and Principe · Equal-area projection
111×
Bulgaria is 111× the area of São Tomé and Principe.
BulgariaSão Tomé and Principe
Area110,994 km²1,001 km²
Population6,433,302240,254
Density58 / km²240 / km²
CapitalSofiaSao Tome
RegionEastern EuropeMiddle Africa
CoastlineHas a coastHas a coast
Neighbours50

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. Bulgaria sits at about 43°N and is stretched to 1.86× its true area; São Tomé and Principe at 0° N is stretched to 1.0×. That difference is why Bulgaria looks so much bigger than it is next to São Tomé and Principe. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is Bulgaria bigger than São Tomé and Principe?
Yes. Bulgaria is 111 times larger than São Tomé and Principe. Bulgaria covers 110,994 km² and São Tomé and Principe covers 1,001 km².
How many times does São Tomé and Principe fit into Bulgaria?
About 111 times: Bulgaria has 111× the area of São Tomé and Principe.
Why do Bulgaria and São Tomé and Principe look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Bulgaria is drawn about 1.86× its true area there and São Tomé and Principe about 1.0×. That is why Bulgaria looks so much bigger than it really is next to São Tomé and Principe. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Bulgaria or São Tomé and Principe?
Bulgaria: 6,433,302 people against 240,254. Density: Bulgaria 58 per km², São Tomé and Principe 240 per km².