The Congo is slightly bigger by total area compared to Malaysia: 132,047 sq mi vs 127,724 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of the Congo is 131,854 sq mi vs 126,854 sq mi for Malaysia.
- The Congo ranks 65/197 by total surface area vs 68/197 for Malaysia.
- The Congo occupies 0.23% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.22% for Malaysia.
- 31.2% of the Congo's area is agricultural land vs 26.1% in Malaysia.
- The Congo has 0.22% of the world's agricultural land area — Malaysia has 0.18%.
- 64.1% of the Congo is covered by forests, compared to 57.7% in Malaysia.
- 0.54% of the world's forests are in the Congo, and 0.47% are in Malaysia.
Total size and land area comparison
Congo
|
Malaysia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
132,047 sq mi |
127,724 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1.03 | 1 |
| Total area rank | 65/197 | 68/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.07% | 0.06% |
| Land area |
131,854 sq mi |
126,854 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1.04 | 1 |
| Land area rank | 64/197 | 65/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.23% | 0.22% |
| Population | 6,332,961 | 35,557,673 |
| Population density | 50.4 ppl/mi² | 287 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Congo
|
Malaysia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
84,560 sq mi |
73,219 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 64.1% | 57.7% |
| Forest area rank | 28/196 | 32/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.54% | 0.47% |
Agricultural land area
|
41,125 sq mi |
33,093 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 31.2% | 26.1% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 69/194 | 77/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.22% | 0.18% |
|
Arable land
|
2,124 sq mi |
3,028 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 1.61% | 2.39% |
| Arable land area rank | 122/191 | 116/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
392 sq mi |
28,803 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.3% | 22.7% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 102/192 | 6/192 |
|
Water area
|
193.1 sq mi |
870 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 0.15% | 0.68% |
| Water area rank | 116/197 | 91/197 |
| Roads length |
14,493 mi |
173,898 mi |
| Land borders length |
3,451 mi |
1,704 mi |
| Coastline length |
105 mi |
2,905 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 3.5% | 4.8% |
Congo vs Malaysia size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/congo/malaysia | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of the Congo and Malaysia 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.