Ethiopia is 1.2 times bigger by total area compared to Nigeria: 426,373 sq mi vs 356,669 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Ethiopia is 435,716 sq mi vs 351,650 sq mi for Nigeria — a 1.24 times difference in territory size.
- Ethiopia ranks 26/197 by total surface area vs 31/197 for Nigeria.
- Ethiopia occupies 0.76% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.61% for Nigeria.
- 34.1% of Ethiopia's area is agricultural land vs 76.2% in Nigeria.
- Ethiopia has 0.81% of the world's agricultural land area — Nigeria has 1.45%.
- 14.9% of Ethiopia is covered by forests, compared to 23.2% in Nigeria.
- 0.42% of the world's forests are in Ethiopia, and 0.52% are in Nigeria.
Total size and land area comparison
Ethiopia
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
426,373 sq mi |
356,669 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1.2 | 1 |
| Total area rank | 26/197 | 31/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.22% | 0.18% |
| Land area |
435,716 sq mi |
351,650 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1.24 | 1 |
| Land area rank | 25/197 | 30/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.76% | 0.61% |
| Population | 132,059,767 | 232,679,478 |
| Population density | 319 ppl/mi² | 690 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Ethiopia
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
65,056 sq mi |
81,611 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 14.9% | 23.2% |
| Forest area rank | 40/196 | 29/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.42% | 0.52% |
Agricultural land area
|
148,483 sq mi |
267,948 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 34.1% | 76.2% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 34/194 | 14/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.81% | 1.45% |
|
Arable land
|
63,321 sq mi |
142,364 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 14.5% | 40.5% |
| Arable land area rank | 19/191 | 8/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
7,942 sq mi |
28,395 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 1.82% | 8.07% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 21/192 | 7/192 |
|
Water area
|
0 sq mi |
5,019 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 0% | 1.41% |
| Water area rank | 175/197 | 39/197 |
| Roads length |
74,671 mi |
121,167 mi |
| Land borders length |
3,682 mi |
2,782 mi |
| Coastline length |
0 mi |
530 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | n/a | 0% |
Ethiopia vs Nigeria size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/ethiopia/nigeria | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Ethiopia and Nigeria 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.