Iceland vs Laos
Laos is 2.3 times larger than Iceland. Iceland would fit into Laos about 2.3 times.
IcelandLaosIceland moved onto Laos · Equal-area projection
0.43×
Iceland is 0.43× the area of Laos. Put the other way, Laos is 2.3× the size of Iceland.
| Iceland | Laos | |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 103,004 km² | 236,800 km² |
| Population | 392,404 | 7,873,046 |
| Density | 3.8 / km² | 33 / km² |
| Capital | Reykjavik | Vientiane |
| Region | Northern Europe | South-Eastern Asia |
| Coastline | Has a coast | Landlocked |
| Neighbours | 0 | 5 |
Why the map you grew up with disagrees
On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. Iceland sits at about 65°N and is stretched to 5.6× its true area; Laos at 18° N is stretched to 1.11×. That difference is why Iceland looks so much bigger than it is next to Laos. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Questions about this pair
- Is Iceland bigger than Laos?
- No. Iceland is 2.3 times smaller than Laos. Iceland covers 103,004 km² and Laos covers 236,800 km².
- How many times does Iceland fit into Laos?
- About 2.3 times: Laos has 2.3× the area of Iceland.
- Why do Iceland and Laos look different on Google Maps?
- Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Iceland is drawn about 5.6× its true area there and Laos about 1.11×. That is why Iceland looks so much bigger than it really is next to Laos. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
- Which has more people, Iceland or Laos?
- Laos: 7,873,046 people against 392,404. Density: Iceland 3.8 per km², Laos 33 per km².