Hauts-de-France is 1.04× the size of Belgium
Hauts-de-France (region of France) covers about 32,000 km² (12,400 mi²) and Belgium (Europe) about 30,700 km² (11,800 mi²). Below, both outlines are drawn at one scale and centred on each other.
- 32,000km²Hauts-de-France
- 30,700km²Belgium
50 km
- Hauts-de-France
- Belgium
What fits
- Belgium is 96% of the size of Hauts-de-France.
- Hauts-de-France is larger by 1,320 km² (509 mi²), which is 4.3% of the area of Belgium.
- Measured in Switzerlands: Hauts-de-France is about 0.77, Belgium about 0.74.
How they differ
- Hauts-de-France is larger, but Belgium has the larger population: 11.8 million against 6.0 million, 1.97× as many people.
- Per square kilometre that is 386 in Belgium against 188 in Hauts-de-France: Belgium is 2.06× as densely populated.
- Their centres are about 153 km apart.
- Together Hauts-de-France and Belgium cover 62,700 km², close to the size of Latvia (64,600 km², 3.1% bigger).
- The gap between them, 1,320 km², is about the size of Comoros (1,670 km²).
- At Belgium's density, Hauts-de-France would have 12.3 million people (it has 6.0 million). At Hauts-de-France's density, Belgium would have 5.8 million (it has 11.8 million).
- Belgium's centre is 0.7° of latitude, about 80 km, farther north than Hauts-de-France's.
- Hauts-de-France is the 9th largest of the 18 regions of France and covers 5.0% of its area; it is the 6th most densely populated of them.
- Belgium ranks 141st of 246 countries and territories by area.
- Both lie at about the same latitude, 50°N and 51°N.
- Shared out evenly, each person in Hauts-de-France would have about 5,330 m² and each person in Belgium about 2,590 m².
- Laid side by side, Hauts-de-France and Belgium would cover 62,700 km², about the same size as Latvia.
- Together they have 17.8 million people, about as many people as the Netherlands.
- Counted as a country, Hauts-de-France would rank 140th by area and 115th by population.
Side by side
| Hauts-de-France | Belgium | |
|---|---|---|
| Is a | RegionFrance | CountryEurope |
| Area, measured | 32,000 km²12,400 mi² | 30,700 km²11,800 mi² |
| Official area | 31,800 km²Wikidata | 30,700 km²Wikidata |
| Rank by area | 9th of 18in France | 140th of 239worldwide |
| Population | 6.0 millionWikidata, 2022 | 11.8 millionWikidata, 2025 |
| Rank by population | 5th of 18in France | 80th of 237worldwide |
| Density | 188 per km² | 386 per km² |
| Capital | Lille | Brussels |
| Latitude range | 49°N to 51°N | 49°N to 51°N |
Population: Wikidata 2022 and Wikidata 2025. Official figures: Wikidata (CC0).
- Wikidata's official figure of 31,800 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%.
Similar in size to Hauts-de-France
Similar in size to Belgium
More from the same country
More comparisons
Send it to someone who won’t believe it
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 Hauts-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