Moldova vs Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is 2.12 times larger than Moldova. Moldova would fit into Sierra Leone about 2.1 times.

MoldovaSierra LeoneMoldova moved onto Sierra Leone · Equal-area projection
0.47×
Moldova is 0.47× the area of Sierra Leone. Put the other way, Sierra Leone is 2.12× the size of Moldova.
MoldovaSierra Leone
Area33,844 km²71,740 km²
Population2,360,5278,819,794
Density70 / km²123 / km²
CapitalChisinauFreetown
RegionEastern EuropeWestern Africa
CoastlineLandlockedHas a coast
Neighbours22

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. Moldova sits at about 47°N and is stretched to 2.17× its true area; Sierra Leone at 9° N is stretched to 1.02×. That difference is why Moldova looks so much bigger than it is next to Sierra Leone. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is Moldova bigger than Sierra Leone?
No. Moldova is 2.12 times smaller than Sierra Leone. Moldova covers 33,844 km² and Sierra Leone covers 71,740 km².
How many times does Moldova fit into Sierra Leone?
About 2.1 times: Sierra Leone has 2.12× the area of Moldova.
Why do Moldova and Sierra Leone look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Moldova is drawn about 2.17× its true area there and Sierra Leone about 1.02×. That is why Moldova looks so much bigger than it really is next to Sierra Leone. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Moldova or Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leone: 8,819,794 people against 2,360,527. Density: Moldova 70 per km², Sierra Leone 123 per km².