Japan vs Malawi

Japan is 3.19 times larger than Malawi. Malawi would fit into Japan about 3.2 times.

JapanMalawiJapan moved onto Malawi · Equal-area projection
3.19×
Japan is 3.19× the area of Malawi.
JapanMalawi
Area377,972 km²118,484 km²
Population123,366,73422,216,120
Density326 / km²188 / km²
CapitalTokyoLilongwe
RegionEastern AsiaEastern Africa
CoastlineHas a coastLandlocked
Neighbours03

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. Japan sits at about 37°N and is stretched to 1.59× its true area; Malawi at 13° S is stretched to 1.06×. That difference is why Japan 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 Japan bigger than Malawi?
Yes. Japan is 3.19 times larger than Malawi. Japan covers 377,972 km² and Malawi covers 118,484 km².
How many times does Malawi fit into Japan?
About 3.2 times: Japan has 3.19× the area of Malawi.
Why do Japan and Malawi look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Japan is drawn about 1.59× its true area there and Malawi about 1.06×. That is why Japan 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, Japan or Malawi?
Japan: 123,366,734 people against 22,216,120. Density: Japan 326 per km², Malawi 188 per km².