Norway vs Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe and Norway are almost exactly the same size.

NorwayZimbabweNorway moved onto Zimbabwe · Equal-area projection
0.99×
Norway is 0.99× the area of Zimbabwe. Put the other way, Zimbabwe is 1.01× the size of Norway.
NorwayZimbabwe
Area385,207 km²390,757 km²
Population5,610,87016,950,795
Density15 / km²43 / km²
CapitalOsloHarare
RegionNorthern EuropeEastern Africa
CoastlineHas a coastLandlocked
Neighbours34

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. Norway sits at about 66°N and is stretched to 6.22× its true area; Zimbabwe at 19° S is stretched to 1.12×. That difference is why Norway looks so much bigger than it is next to Zimbabwe. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is Norway bigger than Zimbabwe?
No. Norway and Zimbabwe are almost exactly the same size. Norway covers 385,207 km² and Zimbabwe covers 390,757 km².
How many times does Norway fit into Zimbabwe?
About 1.0 times: Zimbabwe has 1.01× the area of Norway.
Why do Norway and Zimbabwe look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Norway is drawn about 6.22× its true area there and Zimbabwe about 1.12×. That is why Norway looks so much bigger than it really is next to Zimbabwe. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, Norway or Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe: 16,950,795 people against 5,610,870. Density: Norway 15 per km², Zimbabwe 43 per km².