Iceland vs Switzerland

Iceland is 2.49 times larger than Switzerland. Switzerland would fit into Iceland about 2.5 times.

IcelandSwitzerlandIceland moved onto Switzerland · Equal-area projection
2.49×
Iceland is 2.49× the area of Switzerland.
IcelandSwitzerland
Area103,004 km²41,291 km²
Population392,4049,092,436
Density3.8 / km²220 / km²
CapitalReykjavikBern
RegionNorthern EuropeWestern Europe
CoastlineHas a coastLandlocked
Neighbours05

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; Switzerland at 47° N is stretched to 2.13×. That difference is why Iceland looks so much bigger than it is next to Switzerland. 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 Switzerland?
Yes. Iceland is 2.49 times larger than Switzerland. Iceland covers 103,004 km² and Switzerland covers 41,291 km².
How many times does Switzerland fit into Iceland?
About 2.5 times: Iceland has 2.49× the area of Switzerland.
Why do Iceland and Switzerland 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 Switzerland about 2.13×. That is why Iceland looks so much bigger than it really is next to Switzerland. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Iceland or Switzerland?
Switzerland: 9,092,436 people against 392,404. Density: Iceland 3.8 per km², Switzerland 220 per km².