Belgium is 2.53× the size of Île-de-France
Belgium (Europe) covers about 30,700 km² (11,800 mi²) and Île-de-France (region of France) about 12,100 km² (4,670 mi²). Below, both outlines are drawn at one scale and centred on each other.
- 30,700km²Belgium
- 12,100km²Île-de-France
50 km
- Belgium
- Île-de-France
What fits
- Île-de-France fits inside Belgium about 2.53 times by area.
- Belgium is larger by 18,600 km² (7,170 mi²), which is 153% of the area of Île-de-France.
- Measured in Switzerlands: Belgium is about 0.74, Île-de-France about 0.29.
How they differ
- Belgium is larger, but Île-de-France has the larger population: 12.4 million against 11.8 million, 1.05× as many people.
- Per square kilometre that is 1,023 in Île-de-France against 386 in Belgium: Île-de-France is 2.65× as densely populated.
- Their centres are about 264 km apart.
- Together Belgium and Île-de-France cover 42,800 km², close to the size of Denmark (42,700 km², 0.2% smaller).
- The gap between them, 18,600 km², is about the size of Fiji (18,900 km²).
- At Île-de-France's density, Belgium would have 31.4 million people (it has 11.8 million). At Belgium's density, Île-de-France would have 4.7 million (it has 12.4 million).
- Belgium's centre is 1.9° of latitude, about 210 km, farther north than Île-de-France's.
- Belgium ranks 141st of 246 countries and territories by area.
- Île-de-France is the 13th largest of the 18 regions of France and covers 1.9% of its area; it is the most densely populated of them.
- Both lie at about the same latitude, 51°N and 49°N.
- Shared out evenly, each person in Belgium would have about 2,590 m² and each person in Île-de-France about 980 m².
- Laid side by side, Belgium and Île-de-France would cover 42,800 km², about the same size as Denmark.
- Together they have 24.2 million people, about as many people as Syria.
- Counted as a country, Île-de-France would rank 163rd by area and 79th by population.
Side by side
| Belgium | Île-de-France | |
|---|---|---|
| Is a | CountryEurope | RegionFrance |
| Area, measured | 30,700 km²11,800 mi² | 12,100 km²4,670 mi² |
| Official area | 30,700 km²Wikidata | 12,000 km²Wikidata |
| Rank by area | 140th of 239worldwide | 13th of 18in France |
| Population | 11.8 millionWikidata, 2025 | 12.4 millionWikidata, 2022 |
| Rank by population | 80th of 237worldwide | 1st of 18in France |
| Density | 386 per km² | 1,023 per km² |
| Capital | Brussels | Paris |
| Latitude range | 49°N to 51°N | 48°N to 49°N |
Population: Wikidata 2025 and Wikidata 2022. Official figures: Wikidata (CC0).
- Wikidata's official figure of 30,700 km² agrees with our measured area of 30,700 km², to within 2%.
- Wikidata's official figure of 12,000 km² agrees with our measured area of 12,100 km², to within 2%.
Similar in size to Belgium
Similar in size to Île-de-France
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Sources and method
- Outlines
- Natural Earth, 1:10m Admin 1 - States, Provinces, public domain for the region; Natural Earth, 1:10m Admin 0 - Countries, public domain. The outline of Île-de-France is the departments Natural Earth draws there, joined along their shared borders.
- Boundary
- De facto, as drawn by Natural Earth. A region is drawn whole, every island included; a country is its main territory.
- Area
- Measured on the WGS84 ellipsoid from the full-detail outlines, shown rounded.
- Drawing
- Each outline is projected with an equal-area projection centred on its own centroid, so areas stay true and the two can be laid over each other.
- Data built
- 2026-11-12