Madagascar vs New Zealand

Madagascar is 2.19 times larger than New Zealand. New Zealand would fit into Madagascar about 2.2 times.

MadagascarNew ZealandMadagascar moved onto New Zealand · Equal-area projection
2.19×
Madagascar is 2.19× the area of New Zealand.
MadagascarNew Zealand
Area587,295 km²268,021 km²
Population32,740,6785,324,700
Density56 / km²20 / km²
CapitalAntananarivoWellington
RegionEastern AfricaAustralia and New Zealand
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. Madagascar sits at about 19°S and is stretched to 1.12× its true area; New Zealand at 42° S is stretched to 1.79×. That difference is why New Zealand looks so much bigger than it is next to Madagascar. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is Madagascar bigger than New Zealand?
Yes. Madagascar is 2.19 times larger than New Zealand. Madagascar covers 587,295 km² and New Zealand covers 268,021 km².
How many times does New Zealand fit into Madagascar?
About 2.2 times: Madagascar has 2.19× the area of New Zealand.
Why do Madagascar and New Zealand look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Madagascar is drawn about 1.12× its true area there and New Zealand about 1.79×. That is why New Zealand looks so much bigger than it really is next to Madagascar. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Madagascar or New Zealand?
Madagascar: 32,740,678 people against 5,324,700. Density: Madagascar 56 per km², New Zealand 20 per km².