New Zealand vs Panama

New Zealand is 3.61 times larger than Panama. Panama would fit into New Zealand about 3.6 times.

New ZealandPanamaNew Zealand moved onto Panama · Equal-area projection
3.61×
New Zealand is 3.61× the area of Panama.
New ZealandPanama
Area268,021 km²74,177 km²
Population5,324,7004,571,189
Density20 / km²62 / km²
CapitalWellingtonPanama City
RegionAustralia and New ZealandCentral America
CoastlineHas a coastHas a coast
Neighbours02

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; Panama at 9° N is stretched to 1.02×. That difference is why New Zealand looks so much bigger than it is next to Panama. 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 Panama?
Yes. New Zealand is 3.61 times larger than Panama. New Zealand covers 268,021 km² and Panama covers 74,177 km².
How many times does Panama fit into New Zealand?
About 3.6 times: New Zealand has 3.61× the area of Panama.
Why do New Zealand and Panama 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 Panama about 1.02×. That is why New Zealand looks so much bigger than it really is next to Panama. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, New Zealand or Panama?
New Zealand: 5,324,700 people against 4,571,189. Density: New Zealand 20 per km², Panama 62 per km².