Xinjiang and Iran are almost exactly the same size
Xinjiang (autonomous region of China) covers about 1,630,000 km² (629,000 mi²) and Iran (Asia) about 1,623,000 km² (626,000 mi²). Their outlines are laid over each other below at one scale.
- 1,630,000km²Xinjiang
- 1,623,000km²Iran
500 km
- Xinjiang
- Iran
Xinjiang: Part of this region's boundary is disputed with India. Size Versus draws Natural Earth's de facto outline, the boundary as it is held on the ground, and takes no position on it.
What fits
- Iran is 100% of the size of Xinjiang.
- The measured areas differ by 7,710 km², less than half a percent: closer than the measurement itself is certain.
- Measured in Belgiums: Xinjiang is about 53.2, Iran about 52.9.
How they differ
- Xinjiang is larger, but Iran has the larger population: 92.4 million against 25.9 million, 3.57× as many people.
- Per square kilometre that is 57 in Iran against 16 in Xinjiang: Iran is 3.59× as densely populated.
- Their centres are about 2,860 km apart.
- A standard web map misstates the comparison: Xinjiang at 41°N is drawn about 1.8× too large and Iran at 33°N about 1.4×, so the map shows Xinjiang as 1.26× the size of Iran instead of 1.00×.
- Together Xinjiang and Iran cover 3,253,000 km², close to the size of India (3,151,000 km², 3.1% smaller).
- At Iran's density, Xinjiang would have 92.9 million people (it has 25.9 million). At Xinjiang's density, Iran would have 25.7 million (it has 92.4 million).
- Xinjiang's centre is 8.5° of latitude, about 950 km, farther north than Iran's.
- Xinjiang is the largest of the 31 provinces and regions of China and covers 17% of its area; it is the 29th most densely populated of them.
- Iran ranks 19th of 246 countries and territories by area.
- Xinjiang lies about 9° of latitude (roughly 947 km) north of Iran.
- Shared out evenly, each person in Xinjiang would have about 63,060 m² and each person in Iran about 17,560 m².
- Laid side by side, Xinjiang and Iran would cover 3,253,000 km², 1.03× the size of India.
- Together they have 118.3 million people, 1.03× as many people as Egypt.
- Counted as a country, Xinjiang would rank 17th by area and 56th by population.
Side by side
| Xinjiang | Iran | |
|---|---|---|
| Is a | Autonomous RegionChina | CountryAsia |
| Area, measured | 1,630,000 km²629,000 mi² | 1,623,000 km²626,000 mi² |
| Official area | 1,665,000 km²Wikidata | 1,648,000 km²Wikidata |
| Rank by area | 1st of 31in China | 18th of 239worldwide |
| Population | 25.9 millionWikidata, 2020 | 92.4 millionWikidata, 2025 |
| Rank by population | 21st of 31in China | 17th of 237worldwide |
| Density | 16 per km² | 57 per km² |
| Capital | Ürümqi | Tehran |
| Latitude range | 34°N to 49°N | 25°N to 40°N |
Population: Wikidata 2020 and Wikidata 2025. Official figures: Wikidata (CC0).
- Our measured 1,630,000 km² is 2.1% below Wikidata's official figure of 1,665,000 km². Official figures can include inland water or count land that an outline draws differently.
- Wikidata's official figure of 1,648,000 km² agrees with our measured area of 1,623,000 km², to within 2%.
Similar in size to Xinjiang
Similar in size to Iran
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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