Iceland is 1.59 times bigger by total area compared to Latvia: 39,770 sq mi vs 24,940 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Iceland is 38,931 sq mi vs 24,027 sq mi for Latvia — a 1.62 times difference in territory size.
- Iceland ranks 106/197 by total surface area vs 122/197 for Latvia.
- Iceland occupies 0.07% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.04% for Latvia.
- 16.2% of Iceland's area is agricultural land vs 31.7% in Latvia.
- Iceland has 0.03% of the world's agricultural land area — Latvia has 0.04%.
- 0.53% of Iceland is covered by forests, compared to 55% in Latvia.
- 0.001% of the world's forests are in Iceland, and 0.08% are in Latvia.
Total size and land area comparison
Iceland
|
Latvia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
39,770 sq mi |
24,940 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1.59 | 1 |
| Total area rank | 106/197 | 122/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| Land area |
38,931 sq mi |
24,027 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1.62 | 1 |
| Land area rank | 104/197 | 121/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.07% | 0.04% |
| Population | 386,506 | 1,866,124 |
| Population density | 10.2 ppl/mi² | 76.2 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Iceland
|
Latvia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
205.8 sq mi |
13,214 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 0.53% | 55% |
| Forest area rank | 161/196 | 85/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.001% | 0.08% |
Agricultural land area
|
6,324 sq mi |
7,610 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 16.2% | 31.7% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 127/194 | 118/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.03% | 0.04% |
|
Arable land
|
467 sq mi |
5,251 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 1.2% | 21.9% |
| Arable land area rank | 144/191 | 95/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
n/a |
38.6 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | n/a | 0.16% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | n/a | 154/192 |
|
Water area
|
839 sq mi |
913 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 2.11% | 3.66% |
| Water area rank | 93/197 | 89/197 |
| Roads length |
8,014 mi |
n/a |
| Land borders length |
0 mi |
851 mi |
| Coastline length |
3,088 mi |
309 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 0.5% | 16.4% |
Iceland vs Latvia size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/iceland/latvia | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Iceland and Latvia 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.