Sweden is 10.4 times bigger by total area compared to Denmark: 172,752 sq mi vs 16,574 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Sweden is 157,248 sq mi vs 15,444 sq mi for Denmark — a 10.2 times difference in territory size.
- Denmark ranks 130/197 by total surface area vs 56/197 for Sweden.
- Denmark occupies 0.03% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.27% for Sweden.
- 65.5% of Denmark's area is agricultural land vs 7.32% in Sweden.
- Denmark has 0.05% of the world's agricultural land area — Sweden has 0.06%.
- 15.8% of Denmark is covered by forests, compared to 68.7% in Sweden.
- 0.02% of the world's forests are in Denmark, and 0.69% are in Sweden.
Total size and land area comparison
Denmark
|
Sweden
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
16,574 sq mi |
172,752 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 10.4 |
| Total area rank | 130/197 | 56/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.008% | 0.09% |
| Land area |
15,444 sq mi |
157,248 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 10.2 |
| Land area rank | 130/197 | 58/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.03% | 0.27% |
| Population | 5,976,992 | 10,569,709 |
| Population density | 390 ppl/mi² | 67.8 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Denmark
|
Sweden
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
2,437 sq mi |
108,031 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 15.8% | 68.7% |
| Forest area rank | 134/196 | 21/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.02% | 0.69% |
Agricultural land area
|
10,120 sq mi |
11,514 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 65.5% | 7.32% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 107/194 | 104/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.05% | 0.06% |
|
Arable land
|
9,131 sq mi |
9,753 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 59.1% | 6.2% |
| Arable land area rank | 77/191 | 74/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
114.3 sq mi |
11.6 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.74% | 0.007% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 140/192 | 171/192 |
|
Water area
|
1,130 sq mi |
15,504 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 6.82% | 8.97% |
| Water area rank | 81/197 | 15/197 |
| Roads length |
45,717 mi |
356,129 mi |
| Land borders length |
87.6 mi |
1,374 mi |
| Coastline length |
4,545 mi |
2,000 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 18.6% | 16% |
Denmark vs Sweden size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/denmark/sweden | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Denmark and Sweden 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.