Iran is 4.61 times bigger by total area compared to Germany: 636,372 sq mi vs 138,065 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Iran is 626,451 sq mi vs 134,916 sq mi for Germany — a 4.64 times difference in territory size.
- Germany ranks 63/197 by total surface area vs 17/197 for Iran.
- Germany occupies 0.23% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 1.09% for Iran.
- 47.5% of Germany's area is agricultural land vs 29% in Iran.
- Germany has 0.35% of the world's agricultural land area — Iran has 0.99%.
- 32.7% of Germany is covered by forests, compared to 6.65% in Iran.
- 0.28% of the world's forests are in Germany, and 0.27% are in Iran.
Total size and land area comparison
Germany
|
Iran
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
138,065 sq mi |
636,372 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 4.61 |
| Total area rank | 63/197 | 17/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.07% | 0.32% |
| Land area |
134,916 sq mi |
626,451 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 4.64 |
| Land area rank | 63/197 | 17/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.23% | 1.09% |
| Population | 83,516,593 | 91,567,738 |
| Population density | 612 ppl/mi² | 148.9 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Germany
|
Iran
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
44,089 sq mi |
41,654 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 32.7% | 6.65% |
| Forest area rank | 51/196 | 52/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.28% | 0.27% |
Agricultural land area
|
64,039 sq mi |
181,727 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 47.5% | 29% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 54/194 | 18/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.35% | 0.99% |
|
Arable land
|
45,101 sq mi |
60,614 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 33.4% | 9.68% |
| Arable land area rank | 25/191 | 21/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
772 sq mi |
7,301 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.57% | 1.17% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 86/192 | 26/192 |
|
Water area
|
3,150 sq mi |
9,921 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 2.28% | 1.56% |
| Water area rank | 53/197 | 20/197 |
| Roads length |
515,738 mi |
138,867 mi |
| Land borders length |
2,295 mi |
3,662 mi |
| Coastline length |
1,484 mi |
1,516 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 45.4% | 0.9% |
Germany vs Iran size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/germany/iran | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Germany and Iran 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.