São Tomé and Principe vs Switzerland

Switzerland is 41.2 times larger than São Tomé and Principe. São Tomé and Principe would fit into Switzerland about 41 times.

São Tomé and PrincipeSwitzerlandSão Tomé and Principe moved onto Switzerland · Equal-area projection
0.02×
São Tomé and Principe is 0.02× the area of Switzerland. Put the other way, Switzerland is 41.2× the size of São Tomé and Principe.
São Tomé and PrincipeSwitzerland
Area1,001 km²41,291 km²
Population240,2549,092,436
Density240 / km²220 / km²
CapitalSao TomeBern
RegionMiddle AfricaWestern Europe
CoastlineHas a coastLandlocked
Neighbours05

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. São Tomé and Principe sits at about 0°N and is stretched to 1.0× its true area; Switzerland at 47° N is stretched to 2.13×. That difference is why Switzerland 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 São Tomé and Principe bigger than Switzerland?
No. São Tomé and Principe is 41.2 times smaller than Switzerland. São Tomé and Principe covers 1,001 km² and Switzerland covers 41,291 km².
How many times does São Tomé and Principe fit into Switzerland?
About 41 times: Switzerland has 41.2× the area of São Tomé and Principe.
Why do São Tomé and Principe and Switzerland look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. São Tomé and Principe is drawn about 1.0× its true area there and Switzerland about 2.13×. That is why Switzerland 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, São Tomé and Principe or Switzerland?
Switzerland: 9,092,436 people against 240,254. Density: São Tomé and Principe 240 per km², Switzerland 220 per km².