Saudi Arabia is 21.8 times bigger by total area compared to Iceland: 868,730 sq mi vs 39,770 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Saudi Arabia is 830,000 sq mi vs 38,931 sq mi for Iceland — a 21.3 times difference in territory size.
- Iceland ranks 106/197 by total surface area vs 12/197 for Saudi Arabia.
- Iceland occupies 0.07% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 1.44% for Saudi Arabia.
- 16.2% of Iceland's area is agricultural land vs 80.8% in Saudi Arabia.
- Iceland has 0.03% of the world's agricultural land area — Saudi Arabia has 3.64%.
- 0.53% of Iceland is covered by forests, compared to 0.45% in Saudi Arabia.
- 0.001% of the world's forests are in Iceland, and 0.02% are in Saudi Arabia.
Total size and land area comparison
Iceland
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
39,770 sq mi |
868,730 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 21.8 |
| Total area rank | 106/197 | 12/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.02% | 0.44% |
| Land area |
38,931 sq mi |
830,000 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 21.3 |
| Land area rank | 104/197 | 12/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.07% | 1.44% |
| Population | 386,506 | 35,300,280 |
| Population density | 10.2 ppl/mi² | 44.1 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Iceland
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
205.8 sq mi |
3,772 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 0.53% | 0.45% |
| Forest area rank | 161/196 | 126/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.001% | 0.02% |
Agricultural land area
|
6,324 sq mi |
670,418 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 16.2% | 80.8% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 127/194 | 8/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.03% | 3.64% |
|
Arable land
|
467 sq mi |
13,245 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 1.2% | 1.6% |
| Arable land area rank | 144/191 | 65/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
n/a |
799 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | n/a | 0.1% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | n/a | 82/192 |
|
Water area
|
839 sq mi |
38,730 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 2.11% | 4.46% |
| Water area rank | 93/197 | 9/197 |
| Roads length |
8,014 mi |
137,554 mi |
| Land borders length |
0 mi |
2,654 mi |
| Coastline length |
3,088 mi |
1,640 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 0.5% | 3.5% |
Iceland vs Saudi Arabia size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/iceland/saudi-arabia | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Iceland and Saudi Arabia 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.