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.
Europe · LVA · Country profile
Latvia: 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 Earth64,594 km²
- Total surface area
- 64,594 km² 2024 edition
- Population
- 1,847,785 2025 data
- Population density
- 29.7 per km² Population ÷ land area
- Land area
- 62,230 km² 2023 data
- Capital
- Riga Europe
- Country code
- LVA 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 Latvia?
A familiar reference, a similar area and a different latitude. Both outlines in each preview share the same scale.
LatviaOther country
Compare outlines on the map
A familiar reference
Latvia vs Poland
Area ratio (Poland / Latvia): about 4.8.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
Similar area
Latvia vs Togo
Togo: 56,785 km². Compare their areas.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
A different latitude
Latvia vs Brazil
See how location affects the impression of size.
Compare size 1:1The numbers in context
Latvia: true size, population, and map scale without illusions
Latvia covers 64,594 km², ranking 124 out of 200 by area in this dataset. Its scale becomes clearer when placed beside neighbors or a familiar reference country, because a wall map can flatten our intuition. Within Europe, that places it 23 out of 44.
Latvia covers about 21% 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 Lithuania.
More about area, population and location
The population is approximately 1,847,785 people, with an average density of 29.7/km². Latvia ranks 149 out of 197 by population and 155 out of 197 by density. That points to a fairly spread-out population profile, where cities and open spaces strongly contrast.
Within its continent, Latvia represents about 1% of the area and about 0.31% of the population covered by this dataset. Its continental population rank is 32 out of 43, so area alone does not tell the full story.
Europe is familiar from school maps, yet its northern position means comparisons with countries nearer the equator can still be surprising. That is why Latvia is best read through several lenses: raw numbers, an equal-scale outline, a comparison with Poland, and a matchup with Lithuania. Then the map stops being a picture and starts becoming a tool for discovery.
If you want to remember the scale quickly, compare Latvia with a country of similar area and a country of similar population. By population, North Macedonia is a useful next clue.
#124AreaArea rank among 200 countries and territories with a verified area.
#23ContinentLatvia covers about 1% of the area in Europe.
#149PopulationAbout 1,847,785 people; continental rank 32 of 43.
29.7/km²DensityAverage people per square kilometer; density rank: #155 of 197.LithuaniaClosest 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 Latvia?
Latvia covers 64,594 km². In this dataset, that ranks 124 out of 200 by area, and 23 out of 44 within its continent. Latvia covers about 21% of the area of Poland.
How many people live in Latvia, and how dense is it?
The population is approximately 1,847,785 people, with an average density of 29.7/km². Latvia ranks 149 out of 197 by population and 155 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 Latvia with to understand its scale?
Two comparisons work especially well: Latvia vs Poland as a familiar reference point, and Latvia vs Lithuania because their areas are very close. For population, North Macedonia is another useful comparison.
Do world maps show Latvia at the right scale?
Europe is familiar from school maps, yet its northern position means comparisons with countries nearer the equator can still be surprising. 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 Latvia 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 Latvia?
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.