Finland vs Malawi

Finland is 2.86 times larger than Malawi. Malawi would fit into Finland about 2.9 times.

FinlandMalawiFinland moved onto Malawi · Equal-area projection
2.86×
Finland is 2.86× the area of Malawi.
FinlandMalawi
Area338,478 km²118,484 km²
Population5,646,43622,216,120
Density17 / km²188 / km²
CapitalHelsinkiLilongwe
RegionNorthern EuropeEastern Africa
CoastlineHas a coastLandlocked
Neighbours33

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. Finland sits at about 64°N and is stretched to 5.3× its true area; Malawi at 13° S is stretched to 1.06×. That difference is why Finland looks so much bigger than it is next to Malawi. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is Finland bigger than Malawi?
Yes. Finland is 2.86 times larger than Malawi. Finland covers 338,478 km² and Malawi covers 118,484 km².
How many times does Malawi fit into Finland?
About 2.9 times: Finland has 2.86× the area of Malawi.
Why do Finland and Malawi look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Finland is drawn about 5.3× its true area there and Malawi about 1.06×. That is why Finland looks so much bigger than it really is next to Malawi. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Finland or Malawi?
Malawi: 22,216,120 people against 5,646,436. Density: Finland 17 per km², Malawi 188 per km².