Hesse is 1.36× the size of Iwate
Hesse (state of Germany) covers about 21,000 km² (8,110 mi²) and Iwate (prefecture of Japan) about 15,500 km² (5,970 mi²). Below, both outlines are drawn at one scale and centred on each other.
- 21,000km²Hesse
- 15,500km²Iwate
50 km
- Hesse
- Iwate
What fits
- Iwate is 74% of the size of Hesse.
- Hesse is larger by 5,540 km² (2,140 mi²), which is 36% of the area of Iwate.
- Measured in Belgiums: Hesse is about 0.69, Iwate about 0.50.
How they differ
- Hesse also has the larger population: 6.2 million against 1.2 million, 5.15× as many people.
- Per square kilometre that is 295 in Hesse against 78 in Iwate: Hesse is 3.79× as densely populated.
- Their centres are about 8,960 km apart.
- A standard web map misstates the comparison: Hesse at 51°N is drawn about 2.5× too large and Iwate at 40°N about 1.7×, so the map shows Hesse as 2.00× the size of Iwate instead of 1.36×.
- Together Hesse and Iwate cover 36,500 km², close to the size of Taiwan (36,200 km², 0.8% smaller).
- The gap between them, 5,540 km², is about the size of Cyprus (5,400 km²).
- At Iwate's density, Hesse would have 1.6 million people (it has 6.2 million). At Hesse's density, Iwate would have 4.6 million (it has 1.2 million).
- Hesse's centre is 11.0° of latitude, about 1,220 km, farther north than Iwate's.
- Hesse is the 7th largest of the 16 states of Germany and covers 5.9% of its area; it is the 7th most densely populated of them.
- Iwate is the 2nd largest of the 47 prefectures of Japan and covers 4.1% of its area; it is the 46th most densely populated of them.
- Hesse lies about 11° of latitude (roughly 1,220 km) north of Iwate.
- Shared out evenly, each person in Hesse would have about 3,390 m² and each person in Iwate about 12,830 m².
- Laid side by side, Hesse and Iwate would cover 36,500 km², about the same size as the Netherlands.
- Together they have 7.4 million people, about as many people as Libya.
Side by side
| Hesse | Iwate | |
|---|---|---|
| Is a | StateGermany | PrefectureJapan |
| Area, measured | 21,000 km²8,110 mi² | 15,500 km²5,970 mi² |
| Official area | 21,100 km²Wikidata | 15,300 km²Wikidata |
| Rank by area | 7th of 16in Germany | 2nd of 47in Japan |
| Population | 6.2 millionWikidata, 2022 | 1.2 millionWikidata, 2021 |
| Rank by population | 5th of 16in Germany | 32nd of 47in Japan |
| Density | 295 per km² | 78 per km² |
| Capital | Wiesbaden | Morioka |
| Latitude range | 49°N to 52°N | 39°N to 40°N |
Population: Wikidata 2022 and Wikidata 2021. Official figures: Wikidata (CC0).
- Wikidata's official figure of 21,100 km² agrees with our measured area of 21,000 km², to within 2%.
- Wikidata's official figure of 15,300 km² agrees with our measured area of 15,500 km², to within 2%.
Similar in size to Hesse
Similar in size to Iwate
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Sources and method
- Outlines
- Natural Earth, 1:10m Admin 1 - States, Provinces, public domain
- 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