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.
North America · DOM · Country profile
Dominican 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 Earth48,671 km²
- Total surface area
- 48,671 km² 2024 edition
- Population
- 11,520,487 2025 data
- Population density
- 239 per km² Population ÷ land area
- Land area
- 48,198 km² 2023 data
- Capital
- Santo Domingo North America
- Country code
- DOM 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 Dominican Republic?
A familiar reference, a similar area and a different latitude. Both outlines in each preview share the same scale.
Dominican RepublicOther country
Compare outlines on the map
A familiar reference
Dominican Republic vs Poland
Area ratio (Poland / Dominican Republic): about 6.4.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
Similar area
Dominican Republic vs Estonia
Estonia: 45,399 km². Compare their areas.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
A different latitude
Dominican Republic vs Brazil
See how location affects the impression of size.
Compare size 1:1The numbers in context
Dominican Republic: true size, population, and map scale without illusions
The Dominican Republic covers 48,671 km², ranking 130 out of 200 by area in this dataset. This is a compact territory where a few thousand square kilometers can noticeably change the ranking. Within North America, that places it 11 out of 25.
The Dominican Republic covers about 16% of the area of Poland. 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 Slovakia.
More about area, population and location
The population is approximately 11,520,487 people, with an average density of 239/km². The Dominican Republic ranks 84 out of 197 by population and 45 out of 197 by density. That is dense settlement, so comparing it with area helps explain how intensively space is used.
Within its continent, the Dominican Republic represents about 0.2% of the area and about 1.9% of the population covered by this dataset. Its continental population rank is 6 out of 25, so area alone does not tell the full story.
North America strongly shows the latitude effect: northern territories look much larger on flat maps than their real area suggests. That is why the Dominican Republic is best read through several lenses: raw numbers, an equal-scale outline, a comparison with Poland, and a matchup with Slovakia. Then the map stops being a picture and starts becoming a tool for discovery.
If you want to remember the scale quickly, compare the Dominican Republic with a country of similar area and a country of similar population. By population, Jordan is a useful next clue.
#130AreaArea rank among 200 countries and territories with a verified area.
#11ContinentThe Dominican Republic covers about 0.2% of the area in North America.
#84PopulationAbout 11,520,487 people; continental rank 6 of 25.
239/km²DensityAverage people per square kilometer; density rank: #45 of 197.SlovakiaClosest 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 Dominican Republic?
The Dominican Republic covers 48,671 km². In this dataset, that ranks 130 out of 200 by area, and 11 out of 25 within its continent. The Dominican Republic covers about 16% of the area of Poland.
How many people live in the Dominican Republic, and how dense is it?
The population is approximately 11,520,487 people, with an average density of 239/km². The Dominican Republic ranks 84 out of 197 by population and 45 out of 197 by density. That is dense settlement, so comparing it with area helps explain how intensively space is used.
What should I compare the Dominican Republic with to understand its scale?
Two comparisons work especially well: Dominican Republic vs Poland as a familiar reference point, and Dominican Republic vs Slovakia because their areas are very close. For population, Jordan is another useful comparison.
Do world maps show the Dominican Republic at the right scale?
North America strongly shows the latitude effect: northern territories look much larger on flat maps than their real area suggests. 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 Dominican 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 Dominican 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.