Somalia is slightly bigger by total area compared to Kenya: 246,201 sq mi vs 224,445 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Somalia is 242,217 sq mi vs 224,278 sq mi for Kenya.
- Kenya ranks 48/197 by total surface area vs 43/197 for Somalia.
- Kenya occupies 0.39% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.42% for Somalia.
- 49.5% of Kenya's area is agricultural land vs 70.3% in Somalia.
- Kenya has 0.6% of the world's agricultural land area — Somalia has 0.92%.
- 6.22% of Kenya is covered by forests, compared to 9.17% in Somalia.
- 0.09% of the world's forests are in Kenya, and 0.14% are in Somalia.
Total size and land area comparison
Kenya
|
Somalia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
224,445 sq mi |
246,201 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 1.1 |
| Total area rank | 48/197 | 43/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.11% | 0.13% |
| Land area |
224,278 sq mi |
242,217 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 1.08 |
| Land area rank | 45/197 | 42/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.39% | 0.42% |
| Population | 56,432,944 | 19,009,151 |
| Population density | 261.5 ppl/mi² | 83.9 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Kenya
|
Somalia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
13,942 sq mi |
22,200 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 6.22% | 9.17% |
| Forest area rank | 81/196 | 73/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.09% | 0.14% |
Agricultural land area
|
111,076 sq mi |
170,384 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 49.5% | 70.3% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 39/194 | 21/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.6% | 0.92% |
|
Arable land
|
25,607 sq mi |
4,247 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 11.4% | 1.75% |
| Arable land area rank | 39/191 | 104/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
3,230 sq mi |
112.7 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 1.44% | 0.05% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 44/192 | 141/192 |
|
Water area
|
167.1 sq mi |
3,983 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 0.07% | 1.62% |
| Water area rank | 121/197 | 45/197 |
| Roads length |
110,480 mi |
9,321 mi |
| Land borders length |
2,148 mi |
1,482 mi |
| Coastline length |
333 mi |
1,880 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 0.6% | 0% |
Kenya vs Somalia size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/kenya/somalia | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Kenya and Somalia 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.