France vs Somalia

France and Somalia are almost exactly the same size.

FranceSomaliaFrance moved onto Somalia · Equal-area projection
1.01×
France is 1.01× the area of Somalia.
FranceSomalia
Area643,801 km²637,657 km²
Population68,720,33719,654,739
Density107 / km²31 / km²
CapitalParisMogadishu
RegionWestern EuropeEastern Africa
CoastlineHas a coastHas a coast
Neighbours103

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. France sits at about 43°N and is stretched to 1.87× its true area; Somalia at 5° N is stretched to 1.01×. That difference is why France looks so much bigger than it is next to Somalia. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is France bigger than Somalia?
Yes. France and Somalia are almost exactly the same size. France covers 643,801 km² and Somalia covers 637,657 km².
How many times does Somalia fit into France?
About 1.0 times: France has 1.01× the area of Somalia.
Why do France and Somalia look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. France is drawn about 1.87× its true area there and Somalia about 1.01×. That is why France looks so much bigger than it really is next to Somalia. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, France or Somalia?
France: 68,720,337 people against 19,654,739. Density: France 107 per km², Somalia 31 per km².