Malta vs São Tomé and Principe

São Tomé and Principe is 3.17 times larger than Malta. Malta would fit into São Tomé and Principe about 3.2 times.

MaltaSão Tomé and PrincipeMalta moved onto São Tomé and Principe · Equal-area projection
0.32×
Malta is 0.32× the area of São Tomé and Principe. Put the other way, São Tomé and Principe is 3.17× the size of Malta.
MaltaSão Tomé and Principe
Area316 km²1,001 km²
Population579,704240,254
Density1,835 / km²240 / km²
CapitalVallettaSao Tome
RegionSouthern EuropeMiddle Africa
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. Malta sits at about 36°N and is stretched to 1.52× its true area; São Tomé and Principe at 0° N is stretched to 1.0×. That difference is why Malta looks so much bigger than it is next to São Tomé and Principe. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is Malta bigger than São Tomé and Principe?
No. Malta is 3.17 times smaller than São Tomé and Principe. Malta covers 316 km² and São Tomé and Principe covers 1,001 km².
How many times does Malta fit into São Tomé and Principe?
About 3.2 times: São Tomé and Principe has 3.17× the area of Malta.
Why do Malta and São Tomé and Principe look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Malta is drawn about 1.52× its true area there and São Tomé and Principe about 1.0×. That is why Malta looks so much bigger than it really is next to São Tomé and Principe. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Malta or São Tomé and Principe?
Malta: 579,704 people against 240,254. Density: Malta 1,835 per km², São Tomé and Principe 240 per km².