Congo vs New Zealand

Congo is 28% larger than New Zealand.

CongoNew ZealandCongo moved onto New Zealand · Equal-area projection
1.28×
Congo is 1.28× the area of New Zealand.
CongoNew Zealand
Area342,000 km²268,021 km²
Population6,484,4375,324,700
Density19 / km²20 / km²
CapitalBrazzavilleWellington
RegionMiddle AfricaAustralia and New Zealand
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. Congo sits at about 1°S and is stretched to 1.0× its true area; New Zealand at 42° S is stretched to 1.79×. That difference is why New Zealand looks so much bigger than it is next to Congo. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is Congo bigger than New Zealand?
Yes. Congo is 28% larger than New Zealand. Congo covers 342,000 km² and New Zealand covers 268,021 km².
How many times does New Zealand fit into Congo?
About 1.3 times: Congo has 1.28× the area of New Zealand.
Why do Congo and New Zealand look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Congo is drawn about 1.0× its true area there and New Zealand about 1.79×. That is why New Zealand looks so much bigger than it really is next to Congo. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Congo or New Zealand?
Congo: 6,484,437 people against 5,324,700. Density: Congo 19 per km², New Zealand 20 per km².