New Zealand vs Norway

Norway is 44% larger than New Zealand.

New ZealandNorwayNew Zealand moved onto Norway · Equal-area projection
0.7×
New Zealand is 0.7× the area of Norway. Put the other way, Norway is 1.44× the size of New Zealand.
New ZealandNorway
Area268,021 km²385,207 km²
Population5,324,7005,610,870
Density20 / km²15 / km²
CapitalWellingtonOslo
RegionAustralia and New ZealandNorthern Europe
CoastlineHas a coastHas a coast
Neighbours03

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. New Zealand sits at about 42°S and is stretched to 1.79× its true area; Norway at 66° N is stretched to 6.22×. That difference is why Norway looks so much bigger than it is next to New Zealand. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is New Zealand bigger than Norway?
No. New Zealand is 30% smaller than Norway. New Zealand covers 268,021 km² and Norway covers 385,207 km².
How many times does New Zealand fit into Norway?
About 1.4 times: Norway has 1.44× the area of New Zealand.
Why do New Zealand and Norway look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. New Zealand is drawn about 1.79× its true area there and Norway about 6.22×. That is why Norway looks so much bigger than it really is next to New Zealand. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, New Zealand or Norway?
Norway: 5,610,870 people against 5,324,700. Density: New Zealand 20 per km², Norway 15 per km².