Illinois is 4.90× the size of Belgium
Illinois (state of the United States) covers about 150,000 km² (58,000 mi²) and Belgium (Europe) about 30,700 km² (11,800 mi²). Below, both outlines are drawn at one scale and centred on each other.
- 150,000km²Illinois
- 30,700km²Belgium
100 km
- Illinois
- Belgium
What fits
- Belgium fits inside Illinois about 4.90 times by area.
- Illinois is larger by 119,000 km² (46,100 mi²), which is 390% of the area of Belgium.
- Measured in Switzerlands: Illinois is about 3.62, Belgium about 0.74.
How they differ
- Illinois also has the larger population: 12.8 million against 11.8 million, 1.08× as many people.
- Per square kilometre that is 386 in Belgium against 85 in Illinois: Belgium is 4.52× as densely populated.
- Their centres are about 6,920 km apart.
- A standard web map misstates the comparison: Illinois at 40°N is drawn about 1.7× too large and Belgium at 51°N about 2.5×, so the map shows Illinois as 3.37× the size of Belgium instead of 4.90×.
- Together Illinois and Belgium cover 181,000 km², close to the size of Cambodia (181,000 km², 0.1% bigger).
- The gap between them, 119,000 km², is about the size of Malawi (119,000 km²).
- At Belgium's density, Illinois would have 57.9 million people (it has 12.8 million). At Illinois's density, Belgium would have 2.6 million (it has 11.8 million).
- Belgium's centre is 10.5° of latitude, about 1,170 km, farther north than Illinois's.
- Illinois is the 24th largest of the 51 states and districts of the United States and covers 1.6% of its area; it is the 14th most densely populated of them.
- Belgium ranks 141st of 246 countries and territories by area.
- Belgium lies about 11° of latitude (roughly 1,170 km) north of Illinois.
- Shared out evenly, each person in Illinois would have about 11,720 m² and each person in Belgium about 2,590 m².
- Laid side by side, Illinois and Belgium would cover 181,000 km², about the same size as Cambodia.
- Together they have 24.6 million people, 1.03× as many people as Syria.
- Counted as a country, Illinois would rank 93rd by area and 78th by population.
Side by side
| Illinois | Belgium | |
|---|---|---|
| Is a | StateUnited States | CountryEurope |
| Area, measured | 150,000 km²58,000 mi² | 30,700 km²11,800 mi² |
| Official area | 150,000 km²Wikidata | 30,700 km²Wikidata |
| Rank by area | 24th of 51in the United States | 140th of 239worldwide |
| Population | 12.8 millionWikidata, 2020 | 11.8 millionWikidata, 2025 |
| Rank by population | 6th of 51in the United States | 80th of 237worldwide |
| Density | 85 per km² | 386 per km² |
| Capital | Springfield | Brussels |
| Latitude range | 37°N to 43°N | 49°N to 51°N |
Population: Wikidata 2020 and Wikidata 2025. Official figures: Wikidata (CC0).
- Wikidata's official figure of 150,000 km² agrees with our measured area of 150,000 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 Illinois
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
- 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