Sweden is 12 times bigger by total area compared to the Netherlands: 172,752 sq mi vs 14,432 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Sweden is 157,248 sq mi vs 13,000 sq mi for the Netherlands — a 12.1 times difference in territory size.
- The Netherlands ranks 133/197 by total surface area vs 56/197 for Sweden.
- The Netherlands occupies 0.02% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.27% for Sweden.
- 53.5% of the Netherlands' area is agricultural land vs 7.32% in Sweden.
- The Netherlands has 0.04% of the world's agricultural land area — Sweden has 0.06%.
- 11.1% of the Netherlands is covered by forests, compared to 68.7% in Sweden.
- 0.009% of the world's forests are in the Netherlands, and 0.69% are in Sweden.
Total size and land area comparison
Netherlands
|
Sweden
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
14,432 sq mi |
172,752 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 12 |
| Total area rank | 133/197 | 56/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.007% | 0.09% |
| Land area |
13,000 sq mi |
157,248 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 12.1 |
| Land area rank | 134/197 | 58/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.02% | 0.27% |
| Population | 17,993,485 | 10,569,709 |
| Population density | 1,402 ppl/mi² | 67.8 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Netherlands
|
Sweden
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
1,437 sq mi |
108,031 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 11.1% | 68.7% |
| Forest area rank | 145/196 | 21/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.009% | 0.69% |
Agricultural land area
|
6,961 sq mi |
11,514 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 53.5% | 7.32% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 122/194 | 104/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.04% | 0.06% |
|
Arable land
|
3,896 sq mi |
9,753 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 30% | 6.2% |
| Arable land area rank | 107/191 | 74/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
139 sq mi |
11.6 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 1.07% | 0.007% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 134/192 | 171/192 |
|
Water area
|
1,432 sq mi |
15,504 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 9.92% | 8.97% |
| Water area rank | 78/197 | 15/197 |
| Roads length |
88,123 mi |
356,129 mi |
| Land borders length |
654 mi |
1,374 mi |
| Coastline length |
280.2 mi |
2,000 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 33.6% | 16% |
Netherlands vs Sweden size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/netherlands/sweden | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of the Netherlands and Sweden 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.