Mercator
Conformal, cylindrical. Meridians and parallels form a rectangular grid, and the spacing between parallels grows toward the poles, so polar regions are hugely enlarged.
Africa · CAF · Country profile
Central African Republic: true size, area and map scale
Explore the country's geographic outline, see it in different projections and compare it with a familiar scale.
Simplified outline · Natural Earth622,984 km²
- Total surface area
- 622,984 km² 2024 edition
- Population
- 5,513,282 2025 data
- Population density
- 8.8 per km² Population ÷ land area
- Land area
- 622,980 km² 2023 data
- Capital
- Bangui Africa
- Country code
- CAF ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 / UN M49
Explore the shape
Country shape under different projections
The same country, different ways to show the Earth. Each outline opens a map with this country selected.
Globe (Orthographic)
Neither equal-area nor conformal, perspective azimuthal. It looks like a photograph of the globe from space: only one hemisphere is visible, and areas near the edge of the disk are squeezed hard.
Equal Earth
Equal-area, pseudocylindrical. Parallels are straight lines, the poles are flat lines, and the sides of the map are gently rounded, much like Robinson.
Outlines fit their tiles. They show changes in shape, not areas at a shared scale. The Mercator value estimates area inflation at the country's centre.
Understand the scale
How large is Central African Republic?
A familiar reference, a similar area and a different latitude. Both outlines in each preview share the same scale.
Central African RepublicOther country
Compare outlines on the map
A familiar reference
Central African Republic vs Poland
Area ratio (Central African Republic / Poland): about 2.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
Similar area
Central African Republic vs Ukraine
Ukraine: 603,500 km². Compare their areas.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
A different latitude
Central African Republic vs Greenland
See how location affects the impression of size.
Compare size 1:1The numbers in context
Central African Republic: true size, population, and map scale without illusions
The Central African Republic covers 622,984 km², ranking 45 out of 200 by area in this dataset. This is a mid-to-large area, useful for comparisons with countries familiar from European maps. Within Africa, that places it 20 out of 55.
The Central African Republic is about 2 times larger than Poland by area. This comparison is deliberately simple: Poland works as an easy reference point, and then it makes sense to move toward a similarly sized country. By area, the closest match is Norway.
More about area, population and location
The population is approximately 5,513,282 people, with an average density of 8.8/km². The Central African Republic ranks 118 out of 197 by population and 184 out of 197 by density. That points to a fairly spread-out population profile, where cities and open spaces strongly contrast.
Within its continent, the Central African Republic represents about 2% of the area and about 0.36% of the population covered by this dataset. Its continental population rank is 38 out of 54, so area alone does not tell the full story.
In Africa, many territories sit closer to the equator, so world maps often visually underplay them compared with northern places stretched by the Mercator projection. That is why the Central African Republic is best read through several lenses: raw numbers, an equal-scale outline, a comparison with Poland, and a matchup with Norway. Then the map stops being a picture and starts becoming a tool for discovery.
If you want to remember the scale quickly, compare the Central African Republic with a country of similar area and a country of similar population. By population, Oman is a useful next clue.
#45AreaArea rank among 200 countries and territories with a verified area.
#20ContinentThe Central African Republic covers about 2% of the area in Africa.
#118PopulationAbout 5,513,282 people; continental rank 38 of 54.
8.8/km²DensityAverage people per square kilometer; density rank: #184 of 197.NorwayClosest scaleThe most natural same-area outline comparison.The numeric values are used as comparative references for learning scale. Rankings include only countries and territories with a verified value in the selected sources.
Test your intuition
From map to challenge
Questions and sources
Frequently asked questions about size and location
What is the actual area of the Central African Republic?
The Central African Republic covers 622,984 km². In this dataset, that ranks 45 out of 200 by area, and 20 out of 55 within its continent. The Central African Republic is about 2 times larger than Poland by area.
How many people live in the Central African Republic, and how dense is it?
The population is approximately 5,513,282 people, with an average density of 8.8/km². The Central African Republic ranks 118 out of 197 by population and 184 out of 197 by density. That points to a fairly spread-out population profile, where cities and open spaces strongly contrast.
What should I compare the Central African Republic with to understand its scale?
Two comparisons work especially well: Central African Republic vs Poland as a familiar reference point, and Central African Republic vs Norway because their areas are very close. For population, Oman is another useful comparison.
Do world maps show the Central African Republic at the right scale?
In Africa, many territories sit closer to the equator, so world maps often visually underplay them compared with northern places stretched by the Mercator projection. That is why a country's position on the map can mislead, while same-scale outline comparison usually gives a better intuition than a classic atlas.
Why can the Central African Republic look different in different map projections?
Every projection moves a globe onto a flat surface and must trade something away: shape, area, direction, or distance. On this page, you can compare the impression created by Mercator, orthographic, and equal-area views.
How should I use this page to remember the size of the Central African Republic?
Start with the numbers, open a 1vs1 comparison with a similar country, and then try the size-illusion quiz. That sequence combines facts, visuals, and play, making the scale easier to remember.
Take a closer look at the data
Each value keeps its own reference year or source edition. Boundaries are simplified and are not suitable for geodetic measurements.
Keep exploring
Choose another perspective
Geometry: Natural Earth / world-atlas, public domain. Outlines simplified and transformed into map projections. Sources, licences and data coverage.