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.
Asia · TKM · Country profile
Turkmenistan: 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 Earth488,100 km²
- Total surface area
- 488,100 km² 2024 edition
- Population
- 7,618,847 2025 data
- Population density
- 16.2 per km² Population ÷ land area
- Land area
- 469,930 km² 2023 data
- Capital
- Ashgabat Asia
- Country code
- TKM 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 Turkmenistan?
A familiar reference, a similar area and a different latitude. Both outlines in each preview share the same scale.
TurkmenistanOther country
Compare outlines on the map
A familiar reference
Turkmenistan vs Poland
Area ratio (Turkmenistan / Poland): about 1.6.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
Similar area
Turkmenistan vs Cameroon
Cameroon: 475,650 km². Compare their areas.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
A different latitude
Turkmenistan vs Greenland
See how location affects the impression of size.
Compare size 1:1The numbers in context
Turkmenistan: true size, population, and map scale without illusions
Turkmenistan covers 488,100 km², ranking 54 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 Asia, that places it 14 out of 47.
Turkmenistan is about 1.6 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 Cameroon.
More about area, population and location
The population is approximately 7,618,847 people, with an average density of 16.2/km². Turkmenistan ranks 103 out of 197 by population and 179 out of 197 by density. That points to a fairly spread-out population profile, where cities and open spaces strongly contrast.
Within its continent, Turkmenistan represents about 1.5% of the area and about 0.16% of the population covered by this dataset. Its continental population rank is 32 out of 47, so area alone does not tell the full story.
Asia spans equatorial regions, deserts, mountains, and the far north, so one map projection can dramatically change the feeling of scale. That is why Turkmenistan is best read through several lenses: raw numbers, an equal-scale outline, a comparison with Poland, and a matchup with Cameroon. Then the map stops being a picture and starts becoming a tool for discovery.
If you want to remember the scale quickly, compare Turkmenistan with a country of similar area and a country of similar population. By population, Libya is a useful next clue.
#54AreaArea rank among 200 countries and territories with a verified area.
#14ContinentTurkmenistan covers about 1.5% of the area in Asia.
#103PopulationAbout 7,618,847 people; continental rank 32 of 47.
16.2/km²DensityAverage people per square kilometer; density rank: #179 of 197.CameroonClosest 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 Turkmenistan?
Turkmenistan covers 488,100 km². In this dataset, that ranks 54 out of 200 by area, and 14 out of 47 within its continent. Turkmenistan is about 1.6 times larger than Poland by area.
How many people live in Turkmenistan, and how dense is it?
The population is approximately 7,618,847 people, with an average density of 16.2/km². Turkmenistan ranks 103 out of 197 by population and 179 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 Turkmenistan with to understand its scale?
Two comparisons work especially well: Turkmenistan vs Poland as a familiar reference point, and Turkmenistan vs Cameroon because their areas are very close. For population, Libya is another useful comparison.
Do world maps show Turkmenistan at the right scale?
Asia spans equatorial regions, deserts, mountains, and the far north, so one map projection can dramatically change the feeling of scale. 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 Turkmenistan 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 Turkmenistan?
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.