Which is larger?
Africa has a mapped area of 29,820,053 km², compared with 9,439,446 km² for United States. That makes Africa about 3.16× larger. Because both values come from the same map geometry and spherical calculation, the ratio is internally consistent.
How much larger is Africa than the United States?
EqualAtlas's mapped Africa footprint is a little more than three times the mapped area of the United States. Placing the outlines at one equal-area scale shows why width alone is a poor guide: Africa extends across both hemispheres and retains far more north–south area than a rectangular world map suggests.
The comparison uses complete country geometries rather than clipping transcontinental states or external territories to a separate physical-continent coastline. The method is stated so the ratio can be interpreted and reproduced.
Why this page compares area only
Country population values and a multi-country regional aggregate should not be combined without a shared reference year and aggregation policy. This comparison therefore stays focused on the consistently mapped geographic footprint.
This comparison is a geographic visualization, not a statement about territorial claims. Read the methodology and data sources before reusing the figures.