Real size
How big is Ecuador really?
256,000 km²
98,700 sq mi · 77th largest of the 167 here · about the size of Gabon
Normal web maps show it about the right size
Ecuador covers 256,000 km² (98,700 sq mi), about the size of Gabon. It sits close to the equator, where normal web maps barely stretch land, so they show it at about its real size, and make countries farther from the equator look bigger than it.
Measured from our map outlines, so official figures can differ by a few percent. Ranks count the 167 countries and territories on these pages: those over 5,000 km², not counting disputed territories.
- Real area
- 256,000 km²
- Size rank
- 77th of 167
- On a normal web map
- About right
- Latitude
- 1°S
Countries about the same size
- GabonAbout the same size
- New ZealandAbout the same size
- GuineaAbout the same size
- UgandaEcuador is 1.1 times the size of Uganda
- United KingdomEcuador is 1.1 times the size of the United Kingdom
Ecuador through history
Borders here have moved many times. Step through our maps, from 2000 BCE to today, to see who ruled this land before, and how big their realms really were.
Open the history map →Browse the eras →
Common questions
- How big is Ecuador?
- Ecuador covers about 256,000 km² (98,700 sq mi). It is the 77th largest of the 167 countries and territories on these pages (those over 5,000 km²).
- Do maps show Ecuador at the right size?
- Yes. Ecuador lies so close to the equator that a normal web map barely stretches it, while countries far to the north or south are drawn several times too big.
- Is Ecuador bigger than the United Kingdom?
- Yes. Ecuador is about 1.1 times the size of the United Kingdom.
- Is Ecuador bigger than Gabon?
- They are about the same size: within 5% of each other.