Kiribati vs Malta

Kiribati is 2.57 times larger than Malta. Malta would fit into Kiribati about 2.6 times.

KiribatiMaltaKiribati moved onto Malta · Equal-area projection
2.57×
Kiribati is 2.57× the area of Malta.
KiribatiMalta
Area811 km²316 km²
Population136,488579,704
Density168 / km²1,835 / km²
CapitalTarawaValletta
RegionMicronesiaSouthern Europe
CoastlineHas a coastHas a coast
Neighbours00

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. Kiribati sits at about 1°N and is stretched to 1.0× its true area; Malta at 36° N is stretched to 1.52×. That difference is why Malta looks so much bigger than it is next to Kiribati. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is Kiribati bigger than Malta?
Yes. Kiribati is 2.57 times larger than Malta. Kiribati covers 811 km² and Malta covers 316 km².
How many times does Malta fit into Kiribati?
About 2.6 times: Kiribati has 2.57× the area of Malta.
Why do Kiribati and Malta look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Kiribati is drawn about 1.0× its true area there and Malta about 1.52×. That is why Malta looks so much bigger than it really is next to Kiribati. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Kiribati or Malta?
Malta: 579,704 people against 136,488. Density: Kiribati 168 per km², Malta 1,835 per km².