Malaysia is 5.04 times bigger by total area compared to Sri Lanka: 127,724 sq mi vs 25,332 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Malaysia is 126,854 sq mi vs 23,884 sq mi for Sri Lanka — a 5.31 times difference in territory size.
- Malaysia ranks 68/197 by total surface area vs 120/197 for Sri Lanka.
- Malaysia occupies 0.22% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.04% for Sri Lanka.
- 26.1% of Malaysia's area is agricultural land vs 48.6% in Sri Lanka.
- Malaysia has 0.18% of the world's agricultural land area — Sri Lanka has 0.06%.
- 57.7% of Malaysia is covered by forests, compared to 34% in Sri Lanka.
- 0.47% of the world's forests are in Malaysia, and 0.05% are in Sri Lanka.
Total size and land area comparison
Malaysia
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
127,724 sq mi |
25,332 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 5.04 | 1 |
| Total area rank | 68/197 | 120/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.06% | 0.01% |
| Land area |
126,854 sq mi |
23,884 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 5.31 | 1 |
| Land area rank | 65/197 | 122/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.22% | 0.04% |
| Population | 35,557,673 | 21,916,000 |
| Population density | 287 ppl/mi² | 928 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Malaysia
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
73,219 sq mi |
8,122 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 57.7% | 34% |
| Forest area rank | 32/196 | 107/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.47% | 0.05% |
Agricultural land area
|
33,093 sq mi |
11,610 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 26.1% | 48.6% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 77/194 | 103/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.18% | 0.06% |
|
Arable land
|
3,028 sq mi |
5,297 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 2.39% | 22.2% |
| Arable land area rank | 116/191 | 94/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
28,803 sq mi |
4,614 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 22.7% | 19.3% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 6/192 | 31/192 |
|
Water area
|
870 sq mi |
1,448 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 0.68% | 5.72% |
| Water area rank | 91/197 | 77/197 |
| Roads length |
173,898 mi |
70,894 mi |
| Land borders length |
1,704 mi |
0 mi |
| Coastline length |
2,905 mi |
833 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 4.8% | 0.1% |
Malaysia vs Sri Lanka size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/malaysia/sri-lanka | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Malaysia and Sri Lanka 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.
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
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.