Switzerland is 10.2 times bigger by total area compared to Cape Verde: 15,943 sq mi vs 1,557 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Switzerland is 15,255 sq mi vs 1,556 sq mi for Cape Verde — a 9.8 times difference in territory size.
- Cape Verde ranks 167/197 by total surface area vs 131/197 for Switzerland.
- Cape Verde occupies 0.003% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.03% for Switzerland.
- 19.6% of Cape Verde's area is agricultural land vs 37.8% in Switzerland.
- Cape Verde has 0.002% of the world's agricultural land area — Switzerland has 0.03%.
- 11.6% of Cape Verde is covered by forests, compared to 32.4% in Switzerland.
- 0.001% of the world's forests are in Cape Verde, and 0.03% are in Switzerland.
Total size and land area comparison
Cape Verde
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
1,557 sq mi |
15,943 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 10.2 |
| Total area rank | 167/197 | 131/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.0008% | 0.008% |
| Land area |
1,556 sq mi |
15,255 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 9.8 |
| Land area rank | 167/197 | 131/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.003% | 0.03% |
| Population | 524,877 | 9,005,582 |
| Population density | 340 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Cape Verde
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
180 sq mi |
4,940 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 11.6% | 32.4% |
| Forest area rank | 164/196 | 116/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.001% | 0.03% |
Agricultural land area
|
305 sq mi |
5,765 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 19.6% | 37.8% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 165/194 | 129/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.002% | 0.03% |
|
Arable land
|
193.1 sq mi |
1,531 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 12.4% | 10% |
| Arable land area rank | 159/191 | 130/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
15.4 sq mi |
97.7 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.99% | 0.64% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 163/192 | 144/192 |
|
Water area
|
1.16 sq mi |
688 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 0.07% | 4.31% |
| Water area rank | 155/197 | 96/197 |
| Roads length |
839 mi |
52,266 mi |
| Land borders length |
0 mi |
1,100 mi |
| Coastline length |
600 mi |
0 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 0.1% | n/a |
Cape Verde vs Switzerland size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/cape-verde/switzerland | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Cape Verde and Switzerland but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2023–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.