Japan is 55.9% larger than the United Kingdom (1.56 times the size). Areas below are total areas from national statistics; the Mercator factor shows how much a standard web map inflates each one.
Japan is larger by 52,309 sq mi (135,480 km²).
Share of the two areas combined (true area, not map area)
| Metric | 🇯🇵 Japan | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Ratio / Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Area (Sq Miles) | 145,937 sq mi | 93,628 sq mi | 1.56x |
| Total Area (Sq Kilometers) | 377,975 km² | 242,495 km² | 1.56x |
| Population | 125,100,000 | 67,700,000 | 1.8x more |
| Population Density | 857 people / sq mi | 723 people / sq mi | Japan 1.2x denser |
| Capital or Seat | Tokyo | London | - |
| Largest Metropolitan Area | Tokyo | London | - |
| Latitude Center | 36.5° | 54.5° | 18.0° lat diff |
| Mercator Area Inflation Factor | 1.55x | 2.96x | 0.52x visual distortion |
Because the UK sits near 55°N while Japan sits near 36°N, Mercator maps stretch the UK so much that it appears equal to or larger than Japan. In reality, Japan is 56% larger.
Mercator projection formulas stretch surface area proportionally to sec²(φ) = 1 / cos²(φ), magnifying landmasses drastically near the north and south poles.
Japan is 1.56 times larger than the United Kingdom. Japan covers 145,937 square miles compared to the UK's 93,628 square miles. Japan also has nearly double the population of the UK.
Japan is composed of four main islands: Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku.
Both Japan and the UK are island nations situated off the coast of major continental landmasses.
Mercator factors use the center latitude only (area scale = 1 / cos² of latitude), so they are approximations for places that span many degrees of latitude.
Use published areas from national statistics offices or census gazetteers rather than judging by pixels on a flat web map.
Remember that Web Mercator tiles distort areas by 1/cos²(latitude). High-latitude regions appear vastly larger than equatorial states.
Drag one outline over the other in the true size tool; the shape is re-projected as it moves, so it keeps its real size.
Yes. Japan is roughly 56% larger than the United Kingdom.
Japan has about 125,100,000 people versus 67,700,000 in United Kingdom, roughly 1.8 times as many. Per square mile, that is about 857 people in Japan and 723 in United Kingdom.
By area, United Kingdom (242,495 km²) fits into Japan (377,975 km²) about 1.56 times. Shapes differ, so this is an area ratio, not a literal tiling.
