Malaysia is 1.79 times bigger by total area compared to Syria: 127,724 sq mi vs 71,498 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Malaysia is 126,854 sq mi vs 70,900 sq mi for Syria — a 1.79 times difference in territory size.
- Malaysia ranks 68/197 by total surface area vs 87/197 for Syria.
- Malaysia occupies 0.22% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.12% for Syria.
- 26.1% of Malaysia's area is agricultural land vs 74.1% in Syria.
- Malaysia has 0.18% of the world's agricultural land area — Syria has 0.29%.
- 57.7% of Malaysia is covered by forests, compared to 2.84% in Syria.
- 0.47% of the world's forests are in Malaysia, and 0.01% are in Syria.
Total size and land area comparison
Malaysia
|
Syria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
127,724 sq mi |
71,498 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1.79 | 1 |
| Total area rank | 68/197 | 87/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.06% | 0.04% |
| Land area |
126,854 sq mi |
70,900 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1.79 | 1 |
| Land area rank | 65/197 | 87/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.22% | 0.12% |
| Population | 35,557,673 | 24,672,760 |
| Population density | 287 ppl/mi² | 375 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Malaysia
|
Syria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
73,219 sq mi |
2,016 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 57.7% | 2.84% |
| Forest area rank | 32/196 | 138/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.47% | 0.01% |
Agricultural land area
|
33,093 sq mi |
52,533 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 26.1% | 74.1% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 77/194 | 61/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.18% | 0.29% |
|
Arable land
|
3,028 sq mi |
16,988 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 2.39% | 24% |
| Arable land area rank | 116/191 | 53/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
28,803 sq mi |
4,027 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 22.7% | 5.68% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 6/192 | 34/192 |
|
Water area
|
870 sq mi |
598 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 0.68% | 0.84% |
| Water area rank | 91/197 | 101/197 |
| Roads length |
173,898 mi |
n/a |
| Land borders length |
1,704 mi |
1,468 mi |
| Coastline length |
2,905 mi |
119.9 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 4.8% | 0.2% |
Malaysia vs Syria size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/malaysia/syria | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Malaysia and Syria 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.