Catalonia is 1.04× the size of Belgium
Catalonia (autonomous community of Spain) covers about 32,000 km² (12,300 mi²) and Belgium (Europe) about 30,700 km² (11,800 mi²). Below, both outlines are drawn at one scale and centred on each other.
- 32,000km²Catalonia
- 30,700km²Belgium
50 km
- Catalonia
- Belgium
What fits
- Belgium is 96% of the size of Catalonia.
- Catalonia is larger by 1,300 km² (502 mi²), which is 4.2% of the area of Belgium.
- Measured in Switzerlands: Catalonia is about 0.77, Belgium about 0.74.
How they differ
- Catalonia is larger, but Belgium has the larger population: 11.8 million against 8.0 million, 1.47× as many people.
- Per square kilometre that is 386 in Belgium against 251 in Catalonia: Belgium is 1.53× as densely populated.
- Their centres are about 1,010 km apart.
- On a standard web map Belgium looks larger than Catalonia: Catalonia at 42°N is drawn about 1.8× too large and Belgium at 51°N about 2.5×, so the map shows Belgium as 1.33× the size of Catalonia, when Catalonia is 1.04× the size of Belgium.
- Together Catalonia and Belgium cover 62,600 km², close to the size of Latvia (64,600 km², 3.1% bigger).
- The gap between them, 1,300 km², is about the size of São Tomé and Príncipe (1,040 km²).
- At Belgium's density, Catalonia would have 12.3 million people (it has 8.0 million). At Catalonia's density, Belgium would have 7.7 million (it has 11.8 million).
- Belgium's centre is 8.8° of latitude, about 980 km, farther north than Catalonia's.
- Catalonia is the 6th largest of the 19 autonomous communities and cities of Spain and covers 6.3% of its area; it is the 6th most densely populated of them.
- Belgium ranks 141st of 246 countries and territories by area.
- Belgium lies about 9° of latitude (roughly 983 km) north of Catalonia.
- Shared out evenly, each person in Catalonia would have about 3,980 m² and each person in Belgium about 2,590 m².
- Laid side by side, Catalonia and Belgium would cover 62,600 km², about the same size as Latvia.
- Together they have 19.9 million people, about as many people as Zambia.
- Counted as a country, Catalonia would rank 140th by area and 101st by population.
Side by side
| Catalonia | Belgium | |
|---|---|---|
| Is a | Autonomous communitySpain | CountryEurope |
| Area, measured | 32,000 km²12,300 mi² | 30,700 km²11,800 mi² |
| Official area | 31,900 km²Wikidata | 30,700 km²Wikidata |
| Rank by area | 6th of 19in Spain | 140th of 239worldwide |
| Population | 8.0 millionWikidata, 2024 | 11.8 millionWikidata, 2025 |
| Rank by population | 2nd of 19in Spain | 80th of 237worldwide |
| Density | 251 per km² | 386 per km² |
| Capital | Barcelona | Brussels |
| Latitude range | 41°N to 43°N | 49°N to 51°N |
Population: Wikidata 2024 and Wikidata 2025. Official figures: Wikidata (CC0).
- Wikidata's official figure of 31,900 km² agrees with our measured area of 32,000 km², to within 2%.
- Wikidata's official figure of 30,700 km² agrees with our measured area of 30,700 km², to within 2%.
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Similar in size to Belgium
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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 Catalonia is the provinces 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